Former Liverpool and Real Madrid midfielder Steve McManaman has revealed that Arsenal's second goal during their clash with West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns on Saturday evening reminded of him the days when Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp were leading the club's attacking line.
After arriving at the Hawthorns off the back of two straight Premier League victories, defeating both Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion, the Gunners picked up where they left off, firing themselves into a two-goal lead by the half-time interval.
First, left-back Kieran Tierney cut inside off the left flank and curled a sublime effort into the top corner, out of the reach of Sam Johnstone, to fire Mikel Arteta's side in front.
Just five minutes later, the Gunners doubled their advantage, this time with a wonderful team goal, which was finished off by in-form youngster Bukayo Saka. After a sequence of intricate, cute passes, fellow in-form star Emile Smith Rowe rolled the ball across the face of goal for Saka to tap home his second goal in his last three matches.
For all of Arsenal's struggles in recent weeks and months, it was a goal worthy of shouting about. It was as though Arsenal had rolled back the years and produced a moment of magic.
And it certainly earned plenty of plaudits from McManaman, who was covering the game for BT Sport as their co-commentator.
“It’s a little throwback to those Thierry and Bergkamp days, the little one-two in the penalty area, no problem at all," McManaman told BT Sport. "It just comes naturally to him (Smith Rowe).”
McManaman was not the only person to wax lyrical about Arsenal's second goal, particularly the role Smith Rowe played in it.
Former Gunners centre-back Martin Keown was also working for BT Sport, acting as a pundit, and he was full of praise for the way the Arsenal doubled their advantage, insisting it is the "future" of the football club.
Keown said: “This is about the future. Smith Rowe, there, his intelligence on the ball. His link-up with Saka, they’ve obviously played together in the youth teams.
"It’s a wonderful goal - made to look so easy by Arsenal.”
After a turbulent few weeks, Arteta appears to have found a winning formula with Smith Rowe, as the Gunners academy graduate, who has started the last three matches, also claimed an assist for Arsenal's third goal, as he saw his shot blocked on route to Alexandre Lacazette making it 3-0.
