Gary Neville and his Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson have commented on the club's current crop of youngsters, ahead of another run out for the kids in the Caring Cup this week.

The club's younger contingent come under close scrutiny in the past week after United relinquished their proud undefeated home record in the 1-0 UEFA Champions League defeat by Besiktas last Wednesday.

Sir Alex is expected to ring the changes once again for the cup holders' quarter-final tie against Tottenham on Tuesday night when his young guns will be expected to hold the fort in the competition which they won last season.

Ferguson defended his inexperienced players after their UEFA Champions League showing, while also insisting that he valued the Carling Cup highly, as it gave him a chance to blood such new talent.

"Those lads need to be challenged and I thought they did OK. 'They did not deserve that kind of criticism," Ferguson told The Daily Mail.

"I don't need to motivate them with what has been said. Their future is well mapped out. But the one thing we cannot give them is an old head, which is what we saw in the last third of the pitch last week.

"They got anxious. They created good chances and they hurried the thing. But that is not the biggest crime in the world."

"We don't dismiss the Carling Cup at all. It has been an important competition for the younger players and lads on the fringes of the squad for many years."

Neville, who burst onto the scene in his early twenties and was a first choice when United secured their 1995-96 league and cup double, called upon his youthful team-mates to man up and seize their first team opportunities.

Clearly reliving the glories of his own youth, Neville affirmed that it was up to the likes of Federico Macheda and the Da Silva twins to take the initiative themselves when thrust under the first team spotlight.

"You don't get too much said to you by the senior players, to be honest. You have to do it yourself," he told the paper.

"You do get help on the pitch, but it's a tough school here and you've got to make your own mark. As a young player you've got to take your opportunities when they come along.

"The young players know the expectations. The fans let you know what those are. The manager does, too. You are surrounded by it all the time at Old Trafford."