March 2 – Bergkamp’s Wonder Goal

THE story we are bringing you today took place when Newcastle United were genuine title contenders. No, were not going back to the 1950s, or even the Kevin Keegan inspired 1990s. Just seven years ago the Magpies were riding high in the Premier League under Sir Bobby Robson.

Today in 2002 they took on Arsenal in a top-of-the-table clash that would have a major say in the title race, but would be remembered for a sublime piece of skill from one of the most stylish performers ever seen in the Premier League.

Going into the match Newcastle were on a nine-game unbeaten run and had a home record that season that was bettered only by Manchester United. Arsenal meanwhile had gone 15 games without defeat and not lost away from home all season. Something had to give.

The decisive moment came just 11 minutes into the game when Arsenal’s Dutch master scored a goal that even when seen was difficult to believe. He started the move when his ball from the halfway line released Robert Pires down the left. Bergkamp then made for the Newcastle penalty area and Pires returned the ball to him. What happened next caused your eyes to questions themselves as Bergkamp flicked the ball to Andy O’Brien’s right with the outside of his right foot and then spun round the defender, took one touch and slotted the ball past Shay Given with all the nonchalance of The Fonz.

It was a magnificent goal and it set the Gunners up for another away win, Sol Campbell added another to seal a 2-0 win. The result put an end to Newcastle’s title hopes and provided a platform for Arsenal to go on and win the League, but all the talk was about Bergkamp’s goal.

“For me it was the quickest way to the goal,” Bergkamp said later, matter-of-factly. “The whole move was inch-perfect, but of course it could have gone completely wrong.”

The opposition manager Sir Bobby Robson had to doff his cap to the Dutchman as well. He said: “It’s hard to think of any other player in the world who would have imagined that such a move was possible, let alone execute it perfectly.” Robson also had some words about the result in his own slightly confused granddad style: “If we’d won today it would have been a massive result for us but we didn’t, so it’s a massive result for Arsenal. But we mustn’t be disappointed – we’re not going to play them every week, although we do play them next week in the FA Cup of course.”

Bergkamp’s goal later won goal of the season and remains one of the most special goals ever scored in the Premiership. That’s all from us today folks, but we’ll be back tomorrow as always. In the meantime have a look which Argentine was fessing up about his involvement in a controversial England match.