Football and politics do not mix and Arsène Wenger proved it yesterday when he tried to defend himself against the charge that there are not enough English players in the Arsenal team by jumping on the Barack Obama bandwagon.

On the face of it, 11 millionaires running after a ball does not seem to have much in common with the most powerful man in the world, but Arsène knows and therefore we should listen, even if the President-elect of the United States is said to be a West Ham United supporter.

“You have Barack Obama in the States, that is one of the countries where if you have the quality, you will make it,” Wenger said. “What made everybody happy in his election was that nobody knows what Obama's ideas are, but the system has brought someone to the top just because they have the quality and nothing else. I think that is right.”

Arsenal beat Manchester United 2-1 in the Barclays Premier League on Saturday, but the xenophobic - and Fabio Capello, the England manager - will have noticed that they did so with Theo Walcott as their only English player.

Wenger does not care if you were born in Tottenham or Timbuktu as long as you can play football, but there are signs that he has been stung by criticism that he has failed to develop young English players.

Arsenal are likely to start with four Englishmen against Wigan Athletic in the Carling Cup fourth round at the Emirates Stadium this evening, as well as Aaron Ramsey, the 17-year-old midfield player, who was called up to the Wales squad by John Toshack yesterday.

The Carling Cup used to be a chance for Wenger to blood his latest recruits from São Paulo, but tonight players such as Jack Wilshere, the 16-year-old winger from Stevenage, will be hoping to build on the promise that they showed in the 6-0 home victory over Sheffield United in the previous round in September. “When England produce quality, you put them in and England is producing quality now and I think very quickly you will see that in the Arsenal team,” Wenger said.

Although English players are beginning to emerge in Wenger's squad, his two brightest prospects are arguably Fran Mérida, the 18-year-old Spanish midfield player, and Carlos Vela, the 19-year-old Mexico forward. “Merida is different to Cesc [Fàbregas], but he is very dangerous in the final third,” Wenger said. “If you analyse a game and look who gives the ball every time in the final third, you will see Fran. “That is the most difficult part of the game and that is where he is strong.”

Some had suggested that Wenger was losing his touch before the victory over United, but David Dein, the former Arsenal vice-chairman, has told them to get off his back. “I call Arsène a miracle-worker,” Dein said. “Never, ever lose faith in Arsène Wenger's judgment. He's the most focused, dedicated and intelligent football man I have come across.

“The team has a bad patch and everybody starts criticising him - and that's grossly unfair. See what happens at the end of the season and see if the team are good enough. You are seeing quality football week in, week out. We're in early November - the season doesn't finish until May. Let's see what happens then. We're six points behind Chelsea and you can't say we're not going to catch that.”

Although Wigan are expected to field a full-strength team in North London, other teams in the competition are not taking it so seriously. Roberto Martínez, the Swansea City manager, has hinted that he will rest players for his side's tie against Watford. “We have many players who haven't had as many minutes as we would like and who have been working hard in training, and opportunities like these are the perfect way to show how good we are,” Martínez said.

Haven't I seen you before?

Four of the managers left in the Carling Cup played for and learnt their trade under Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United...

Steve Bruce, Wigan Athletic

Captained Ferguson's first title-winning team at Old Trafford. Started his managerial career at Sheffield United and has worked at Huddersfield Town, Crystal Palace and Birmingham City.

Roy Keane, Sunderland

Would United have lost to Arsenal on Saturday if Keane had still been playing? No. Would they have lost if he was in the dugout? Probably not. A favourite to succeed Ferguson.

Paul Ince, Blackburn Rovers

Moved to Old Trafford from West Ham United in 1989 and snapped and snarled alongside Keane until he became a “big-time Charlie” and was sold to Inter Milan for £7million in 1995. Managed Macclesfield Town and Milton Keynes Dons before Rovers.

Mark Robins, Rotherham United

In 1990 scored the goal in an FA Cup third-round tie that is said to have saved Ferguson's job. Made Rotherham manager in April 2007.