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Wenger backing youngsters Arsene Wenger concedes he is taking something of a gamble by bringing a youthful squad to Athens - but the Arsenal manager is convinced his young charges can deliver a big performance against Olympiacos.

With safe passage into the Champions League knockout stages already secure as Group H winners, Wenger will not risk the fitness of any more first-team regulars ahead of Sunday's crucial Barclays Premier League encounter at Liverpool.

Captain Cesc Fabregas, defenders William Gallas and Thomas Vermaelen and Russian playmaker Andrey Arshavin all remained in London, while Czech Republic winger Tomas Rosicky is set for around a month out with a groin problem.

As a result, the Arsenal squad which left Luton Airport contained 10 teenagers and had an average age of 20.

England forward Theo Walcott was a familiar face on the plane after recovering from a hamstring problem, while Alex Song also made the trip after missing Saturday's Premier League win over Stoke through suspension.

Veteran Mikael Silvestre - a Champions League winner with Manchester United - will add an experienced head, while goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski, Wales international Aaron Ramsey, England Under-21 midfielder Jack Wilshere and Mexico striker Carlos Vela have all played in Europe's elite competition before.

Reserve-team captain Kyle Bartley, as well as 18-year-olds Craig Eastmond, Luke Ayling and Thomas Cruise - the left-back who has yet to make a first-team appearance of any form, even in the Carling Cup - have also been included in the squad.

With the Liverpool showdown approaching, Wenger insists his first-choice stars need to recover.

"I am happy we absolutely do not have to win this game," he said. "All of the players that I have left have little knocks and need a rest, so I travel with a very young team.

"However, we have Walcott who is coming back from injury, and Song who was suspended against Stoke, so we should have a good mixture between young and experienced players." Wenger, however, accepts there will be debate over the inclusion of his youngsters.

"It is a risk, because you know that if you do not win the game, you will be criticised," he added.

"But I trust these players to do well.

"They are young, but have a lot of experience already of big games and it will be another chance for them to show how good they are.

"It will give them confidence and belief, because you will see some players that you have never seen at that level for Arsenal.

"It will also be a good opportunity for me to judge how good these players are." Olympiacos, who are coached by Brazil legend Zico, are unbeaten at the top of the Greek Super League.

A draw would be enough to see the Greeks - who lost 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium in September and drew 0-0 with AZ Alkmaar last time out - also safely through to the last 16 ahead of Standard Liege.

Former Blackburn forward Matt Derbyshire is returning to fitness but will not be ready to feature while Andreas Vasilogiannis is sidelined after knee surgery.

Zico has a number of other doubts, including Brazilian striker Diogo.

Olympiacos vs Arsenal

Last modified 17:23 11/12/09

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Arsene Wenger insisted he was proud of his record breaking Champions League kids despite suffering defeat last night.

Arsenal boss Wenger left his big guns at home and fielded the youngest ever line-up in the competition's history with an average age of 21 years and 215 days.

But, sadly, a week after crashing out of the Carling Cup at Manchester City, Arsenal's youngsters came up short again despite a battling and spirited performance beyond their years.

Wenger, whose youngsters play their reserve matches at Underhill, said: "For some players from Barnet to Athens was a big jump but they did very well. These young players play exactly like the first team. They represented Arsenal very well.

"We were positive. I am disappointed that we lost the game but proud of the attitude of young players. They coped well mentally. Overall we played well. We looked like a team that play every week in this competition."

The Champions League is a very different test to the Carling Cup but several of Arsenal's hopes for the future came away with good end-of-term reports from last night.

Arsenal's fast-improving Welsh midfielder Aaron Ramsey was by far and away the visitors' best player as, despite being just 18, already looks a man amongst boys.

Ramsey is quickly establishing himself as a powerful midfielder who dominated Olympiacos's more experienced European campaigners.

Jack Wilshere and Fran Merida also showed flashes of quality while Theo Walcott looked menacing and Alex Song played the father figure.

But Arsenal's rookie left back Tom Cruise, 18, and a few of his other young team mates did not get much of a chance to show they can be Top Guns.

It was always going to be a Risky Business for Wenger to play the likes of Cruise and in the end it became Mission Impossible.

But, in truth, Arsenal's performance deserved more as, despite the mistakes which come with the immaturity of youth, they did not let themselves down.

And perhaps the biggest disappointment was one of the more established players as Mexican international Carlos Vela, still just 20, wasted two glorious chances to give Arsenal at least a point.

A point was all Olympiacos needed to qualify alongside Arsenal but you can bet that Wenger would be smarting if an opposing team had fielded a team of kids with a place in the knock-out stages still up for grabs.

In the end it was irrelevant as Standard Liege slipped up against AZ Alkmaar anyway which meant Leonardo's 47th minute winner was enough as Arsenal presented the Greeks with a gift.

Arsenal have plenty of promise and the encouraging thing is that largely the kids did not seem fazed by the noisy and intimidating atmosphere in the 35,000 seater Georgios Karaisakis.

If anything, Arsenal were the better team in the first half, looking composed and comfortable even if their inexperienced defence looked decidedly shaky at times.

But it seemed as if fit-again Walcott was a man on a mission as he buzzed and sprinted all over the pitch and looked a constant threat even if his lack of match sharpness meant the finishing touch was still missing.

Arsenal's best early chance fell to Walcott whose tenth minute snap shot was well saved by Olympiacos' veteran keeper Antonis Nikopolidis.

But after a largely disappointing and uneventful first half, the game came alive two minutes after the restart after a bad mix-up in the Arsenal defence.

Arsenal defender Kyle Bartley's mistimed tackle on Oscar Gonzalez saw the ball squirm to Olympiacos forward Leonardo.

The Brazilian raced clear as Gunners right back Kerrea Gilbert was guilty of ball watching and Leonardo then fired a low shot past Arsenal keeper Lukasz Fabianski.

That only seemed to inspire Ramsey who got better as the game wore on and he made a brilliant 51st minute run before squaring the ball to Vela who fired casually and tamely at Nikopolidis's legs.

Vela was guilty of another bad miss in the 70th minute while Arsenal's defence was bailed out several times by Fabianski as the visitors pressed forward in search of an equaliser.

Wilshere buzzed and showed glimpses of quality, enough to impress potential suitors as Arsenal look to loan the midfield prodigy out on loan in January.

Spanish youngster Merida also impressed with his clever passing and his 89th minute corner found Ramsey and his close range effort was cleared off the line by Leonardo.

But, worryingly, Walcott finished the game limping after a heavy challenge by Leonardo but Wenger insisted the England winger did not suffer another injury setback.

Olympiacos: Nikopolidis 7; Galitsios 6, A Papadopoulos 6, Mellberg 7, Raul Bravo 6; Galletti 7, Dudu 6, Maresca 7, Leonardo 7; Oscar Gonzalez 7, Mitroglou 6.

Arsenal: Fabianski 6; Gilbert 6, Bartley 5, Silvestre 6, Cruise 5; Song 6; Walcott 6, Ramsey 7, Wilshere 6, Merida 7; Vela 5.

Man of the match: Aaron Ramsey - Looked a man amongst the boys

Villain of the match: Carlos Vela - Must do better, wasted a great chance

Anorak: Arsenal’s youngest ever line-up beat the previous record set by Ajax when the Dutch club fielded a line-up with an average age of 21 years and 355 days against Club Brugge exactly six years ago.