On this day in 1997 Arsenal played Leicester City at Flibert Street. Who would’ve thought it would produce once of the best hat tricks seen in the Premiership?
Arsenal drew 3-3 with Leicester but it was Dennis Bergkamp who took all the plaudits.
In an interview on his hat trick Bergkamp said “he felt comfortable in the team and could take chances.“ He certainly did take chances.
The first goal came from a Marc Overmars short corner. The pass found Bergkamp unmarked and from the edge of the area he curled a stunning shot into the far corner giving the goal keeper no chance.
“I always felt the game wasn’t about my goals or the hat trick the main point was to win the game and the hat trick grew in the game.“
A break from Arsenal’s own half saw Ray Parlour charging through midfield and laid the ball out to Patrick Vieira, who found Bergkamp in space. Bergkamp touched it past the defender and clipped the ball over the goalkeeper. The goalkeeper got a touch on it but the ball looped into the net to round off some lovely team play and Bergkamp’s second of the match.
A wonderful pass from David Platt over the top and into the box, an incredible deft touch on Bergkamp’s right foot, catching the ball in the air and then another on his left to take it past the defender and cooly curl it past the keeper. What a way to finish a hat trick.
Bergkamp ever the professional described the game with “mixed emotions” as Arsenal didn’t win the game even after the superb Bergkamp hat trick.
Bergkamp has been the only player to have 1st, 2nd and 3rd goals in the Match of the Day Goal of the Month competition.