David Moyes had praise for his young guns after Everton beat Aston Villa.
Despite being without a host of first team players, the Toffees progressed to the quarter finals of the FA Cup with a 3-1 win.
Impressive during the game were Jack Rodwell, 17, Dan Gosling, 19, and 20-year-old Victor Anichebe.
Rodwell scored the first goal, while Anichebe won a penalty for the second and crossed for Tim Cahill's third.
Moyes said: "What they have showed me is that they can come in and play. They were playing against a really good Aston Villa team with good players.
"I thought Jack Rodwell at times was exceptional. He took his goal well, but his overall performance got better as the game went on. Dan has had a couple of games in the first team and not let anyone down."
Rodwell and Gosling slotted into a midfield deprived of the services of Leon Osman and Marouane Fellaini through stomach and back injuries respectively, while Anichebe was in for the cup-tied Jo.
His workmanlike performance impressed the manager.
"I thought Victor played really well, like he did against Liverpool at Anfield a few weeks ago," explained Moyes.
"I thought he was always a handful and now he has to show he can do it consistently, week in, week out.
"He was a goal threat and he earned us a penalty kick. If he keeps doing that he will help the squad."
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As well as the impressive form of that young trio, Moyes reserved praise for the two Tims - Cahill and Howard.
"I think Tim (Cahill) was as good as anyone today," he said. "The way he lead the line, competed for everything and tried to win his own individual battles and put them under pressure.
"He had the header which lead to the first goal and he scored the third one.
"I have got to say we had manful help from our goalkeeper who made an outstanding save today," he continued, alluding to Howard's performance following an injury sustained whilst on international duty.
"He'd passed a fitness test which in truth he shouldn't have done, having had a terrible injury from the game against Mexico in the week."
