Evan Almighty! Shades of Vieri, Shearer and Haaland in Brighton's hat-trick hero Ferguson as Roberto...
Daily Mail Followers of these clubs spent Saturday morning scrambling for flights and hotels. Come tea-time, only one of them looked like a European outfit, and it wasnt the one set for the Champions League.
Newcastle fans were navigating rail strikes en route to Brighton when the continental fixtures landed. Their concern was suddenly air travel to Milan. Maybe Europe was on the mind of their players, too, for domestically they have taken their eye off the ball, quite literally in the case of goalkeeper Nick Pope, who fumbled for Evan Fergusons opener.
The 18-year-old went on to score his first Premier League hat-trick taking his top-flight goals tally to 10 and he will make his European debut when Brighton host AEK Athens in the Europa League later this month. He, however, will spend the majority of his career in the Champions League.
I asked Roberto De Zerbi who, if anyone, the Irish striker reminded him of and the Brighton boss already had a countryman in mind.
Christian Vieri, he said. Bobo Vieri was left-footed, Evan is right. But their characteristics are very close. I have an Italian colleague here in the room, please explain to everyone, they are very similar, because Im very tired!
