Arsenal bid farewell to Bergkamp as Denis again proves the menace

Arsenal 3 West Brom 1

Amid the euphoria of the Gunners’ startling run to the Champions League semi-finals, Dennis Bergkamp’s impending retirement has been almost forgotten. Some may have been fooled into thinking he had given up already. The Dutchman has been a peripheral figure, with just eight league starts and none since December 28.

His 36-year-old body is unable to cope with the rambunctious Premiership style but his brain is sharp as ever, and he proved it on Saturday with an exquisite 19-minute cameo to keep his club pounding hard on the heels of Tottenham in the race for a top-four finish.

Arsenal christened Saturday “Dennis Bergkamp Day” and urged fans to show their appreciation of his 11-year career in north London (421 games, 121 goals) by swapping their redcurrent shirts for orange.

The fans responded as Bergkamp’s calm, canny pass to set up Robert Pires for Arsenal’s second goal. But the wildest roar greeted Bergkamp’s gorgeous curling shot, which arced past Tomasz Kuszczak in the final seconds, a throwback to his halcyon days.

“I have always said Dennis Bergkamp will remain the best partner I have ever had,” admitted Thierry Henry. “He is a dream for a striker. He is not greedy and whoever you play with who is like that, you are going to enjoy it.”

“Dennis will never lose his intelligence and class,” added Wenger, who has spoken to Bergkamp about staying at Highbury as a coach after he retires.

West Brom’s fight against relegation appears more forlorn with each passing week. Four points adrift of safety now, they battled gamely at Highbury but were not aided by timid tactics which allowed Arsenal to dictate the tempo.

Nevertheless Arsenal’s domination of the ball did not translate onto the scoreboard until Alexander Hleb, busy throughout, played a sublime one-two with Henry and smashed a shot high past Kuszczak just before half-time.

Wenger’s 71st-minute introduction of Bergkamp, along with Pires, was not motivated by sentiment. The effect was instantaneous, although not as Wenger anticipated. Within seconds, Emmanuel Eboué slipped and Nigel Quashie fired low into the corner.

West Brom should have been awarded a penalty when Eboué hacked at Curtis Davies but Mike Dean remained unmoved. “That cost us the match,” groaned Bryan Robson.

It could also cost Albion Premiership status. Despite that, this was still Dennis Bergkamp’s day and he deserved to have the final word.

“This day was special for me but only because it was playing football again,” he said. “Then you have that memory for your last months. Hopefully I can have a few more moments like that before the end.”

Opta Fact: West Brom have only ever won three of 18 Premiership visits to the capital.

Opta Fact: Arsenal have scored 11 goals in their last three Premiership home games.