Bergkamp still the Arsenal ace

Time and space
The 36-year-old found time and space where there appeared to be none in the dying seconds to fire beyond FC Thun goalkeeper Eldin Jakupovic and send Highbury into raptures. Bergkamp had entered the fray in the 73rd minute with the scores level at 1-1 and with Arsenal down to ten men following Robin van Persie's dismissal for violent conduct.

Sublime pass
The crowd had long been calling for Bergkamp, with the Dutchman's name sung the moment he began warming up on the sidelines. His first contribution was to waste a free-kick in a good position, but it was not long before he found his feet in a contest crying out for an individual to take control. In particular, there was a sublime pass that finished with Kolo Touré just heading wide.

'Guts and guile'
This morning, the English press were full of praise for Bergkamp's efforts, especially as those around him had seemed to be running out of ideas, as well as steam. The Daily Telegraph said: "Dennis Bergkamp seems almost as old as Highbury but the venerable Dutchman's name was cheered to the rafters of Arsenal's ancient home last night. Bergkamp came off the bench to secure all the points with a late strike rooted in guts and guile."

Old and new
This is the last season for Arsenal at the 38,000-capacity Highbury stadium, with the club moving to a new 60,000-seater ground at nearby Ashburton Grove. To mark the final salute to their home since 1913, Arsenal are playing in a special redcurrant kit, similar to that worn in their first term in north London. While the strip's colour is a throwback, the gold numbers and lettering suggest the luxury and riches to come by a change of address.

Highest level
With their new €530m home due to open in August 2006, Arsenal director Danny Fiszman said: "We have punched above our weight [until now]. This stadium will allow us to compete at the highest level... with the strongest clubs in the world." However, whether Bergkamp will be around to grace the state-of-the-art venue remains to be seen.

Retirement set
The former English Player of the Year, who joined the Gunners in a €12.3m transfer in 1995, has pledged to retire at the end of the campaign, having agreed a one-year contract extension after Arsenal won the FA Cup in May. However, many more nights like yesterday and Bergkamp can expect plenty of pressure to change his mind.

Henry absence
For now, the longest-serving member of Arsène Wenger's squad is going nowhere and his experience will be key to Arsenal's European chances, especially with captain Thierry Henry out for at least the next two Matchdays. Already, Wenger is plotting to put the non-flying Bergkamp through seven hours of car travel to Amsterdam to face AFC Ajax in a fortnight.