Dimitri Payet scored a goal of the season contender for West Ham United against Middlesbrough and the football world has been reacting.
West Ham United’s Dimitri Payet celebrates scoring his wonder goal
The Hammers finally stopped the rot after a terrible start to the season albeit with a disappointing 1-1 draw at home to Aitor Karanka’s newly-promoted side.
It looked to be the same old story for Slaven Bilic’s side when Boro went 1-0 up in the second half.
That was until West Ham’s French superstar Payet picked up the ball on the left wing before somehow twisting and turning past five Middlesbrough players into the box where he applied a cute finish to score one of the best solo goals you will see.
John Barnes in his England days
Speaking on talkSPORT after the game, former West Ham defender Stuart Pearce sung Payet’s praises comparing his strike to one of the most famous goals in English football history.
“It was a fantastic goal it really was,” Pearce told talkSPORT.
“I’ll tell you what it was very reminiscent of John Barnes’ famous goal for England against Brazil at the Maracana.
“A superb individual goal.”
Former Manchester United player Rio Ferdinand
Another former Hammers defender, Rio Ferdinand, also took to Twitter to have his say on the goal.
The Manchester United legend, who played with the great Paolo Di Canio at West Ham, said: “Payet just took it to another level….school playground goal!”
Winston Reid got an assist
BBC Match of the Day pundit Jermaine Jenas also pointed out a humourous element to the goal.
“The funny thing about Payet’s goal is that Winston Reid has got an assist there,” Jenas observed.
One thing is for sure West Ham will need plenty more performances like that from their talisman if they are to save their season.
And they cannot afford to become too reliant on Payet given the club’s horrendous luck with injuries in recent years.
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