Aaron Mooy’s masterful goal – and performance - for Brighton overnight has seen the Caltex Socceroos star likened to ex-Arsenal and Netherlands star Dennis Bergkamp.
Mooy scored a peach of goal 11 minutes from time to seal a vital 2-0 win for the Seagulls over Bournemouth.
The 29-year-old showed all his class to control a cross on his chest, beat a defender in a tight space and slot the ball past the keeper from close range.
It was a stunning first goal for the club for Mooy – who is on loan from Championship outfit Huddersfield Town and capped a dominant display from the midfielder.
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Mooy created more chances than anyone else, had the most touches in the box, dribbles attempted and dribbles completed in a man-of-the-match display.
“What a way to settle it,” Sky Sports commentator Alan Smith said of Mooy’s goal.
“Shades of Dennis Bergkamp here, the way he took it on his chest and chipped it in.
“A quite brilliant goal from a really talented player. Great awareness, and look at that finish.
“Bergkamp would’ve been proud.”
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Smith, a legend of Arsenal himself, wasn’t the only pundit praising Mooy’s display post-match.
Former Dutch international and Chelsea defender Mario Melchiot was full of admiration for Mooy and his impact on Graham Potter’s side.
“He is also the identity of this team,” Melchiot said on Optus Sport’s coverage.
“We highlighted how the team was before and how it is now, he is a key figure. Why? Because the way they want to play now, is they want to keep the ball and be smart about how they go forward.
“The only way to play the game the way Brighton plays right now, you need a player like that. To be intelligent, to make sure he knows where he can get the space to receive the ball and how can he produce the ball going forward or creating chances and he does that a lot.”
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Melchiot added: “It is very difficult to pick him up.
“He always floats into the defensive line and midfield line and you don’t know who is going to commit to him. It is also his intelligence of the game, he reads, he knows where the gaps are, picks up the ball and tries to put people in.”
Mooy was a deadline day signing by the Seagulls and took a little while to find his feet in the squad.
But the Australian star has started the last seven games and is becoming a pivotal player in their battle to stay in the Premier League for another season.
“That touch and the second one to open it up to get the shot away. Really good. (His) numbers justify his selection as man-of-the-match,” ex-Charlton skipper midfielder Matt Holland said.
“He was involved in pretty much everything good about Brighton’s performance today.”
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