They needed someone to demand the ball and lead by example - someone to inspire those around them into stepping up their own game. Not necessarily a Rio Ferdinand leading from defence, but someone to take control of the game and set the tone in United’s favour. That we know of, anyway.Įven when adding the nutmeg into the mix, however, Match of the Day presenter and former England striker Gary Lineker insisted Lamela's latest stunner did not match the South American's previous effort.What they needed was a leader. Surely 99% of professional footballers will go their entire careers without scoring a 'rabona' - yet, remarkably, Lamela has two. Erik Lamela completed an eventful hour by being sent off against Arsenal Not even Lamela's best 'rabona'? Tottenham may have lost, but it is Lamela's involvement that will live longest in the memory from this match. The highs and lows of football, eh? Hero one hour, villain the next. Rabona, translated literally from Spanish, means to play truant from school - and Lamela went the whole hog by deciding he fancied an early finish to the day too.Īlready on a booking after Spurs had contrived to turn the lead he gave them into a 2-1 deficit, Lamela used his arm in an attempt to hold off Kieran Tierney and received a second yellow card after connecting with the Scot's face. 'I don't think I'll ever see a goal like that again live,' said BBC Radio 5 Live's football correspondent John Murray. It's one of the goals of the season,' Morrison managed to get out. 'I can't believe what I've just witnessed. The strike almost achieved the impossible, rendering irrepressible BBC Radio 5 Live pundit and former Crystal Palace striker Clinton Morrison nearly speechless.

The Argentina winger wrapped his left leg around the back of his right and guided a 'rabona' finish external-link into the bottom corner, through the legs of Arsenal's Thomas Partey. Tottenham had not even touched the ball in Arsenal's box for the first 33 minutes at Emirates Stadium when Lucas Moura steered Sergio Reguilon's cross into Lamela's path. But his replacement Erik Lamela lit up the game when he opened the scoring with an outrageous strike that will be hard to beat for goal of the season.

Marcos rojo attempt a rabona