BERGKAMP'S FLYING HIGH!

Arsenal 5 Barnsley 0

The roar of an aircraft engine may wobble Dennis Bergkamp's nerve, but nothing in the Premiership can disturb his cool.

Fear of flying? Sure, but he's the guy who terrifies defenders with his feet where he likes them. On the ground.

Bergkamp scored two magnificent goals to top the Premiership scoring charts in quantity as well as quality.

That's 11 now for Berg-kamp, who's a cert for Holland in the World Cup Finals.

Ian Wright finished up in his arms after pilfering the fifth goal, so let's hope they can share the biggest stage of all in France next summer.

You'd be happier about that if Wright was showing anything like the form of Bergkamp at present. Instead, subbed five minutes from time, Wright was a fringe figure lost in Bergkamp's aura.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger said: "Ian has a small ankle problem and sometimes has a bit of pain. It is nothing for him or England to worry about, but Ian had scored the goal to give him the confidence to go to Italy. He has played a lot of games recently and it would have been terrible to see him injured in the last minutes."

You could tell there was something special about Bergkamp during the warm-up. While his team-mates kicked in, he received a pile of trophies. The one he loved most, you suspect, was the BBC Goal of the Month award for which his superb offerings came first, second and third.

Barnsley headed for their sixth Premiership defeat in a row as soon as it became apparent that Bergkamp was preparing more exhibits for the judges. They might not see a better one this month than the wickedly curved strike that gave Arsenal the lead on 25 minutes.

Barnsley's Eric Tinkler stood in front of Bergkamp as he received a square pass from Nigel Winterburn. Keeper David Watson saw a blur of switching feet, a devastating arc from a spot he couldn't see, and the ball dropped inside the post from 25 yards.

Within seven minutes, Bergkamp retained his elegant control between two challenges to flick Patrick Vieira's pass into the net.

Only Watson's courageous block deprived the Dutchman of a first- half hat-trick.

Even then, injury time was enough for Bergkamp to set up Ray Parlour for a simple third. Barnsley coach Eric Winstanley had to be restrained by police as he protested that it was offside.

Sub David Platt rolled back the years and headed in Emanuel Petit's corner in his old England style. Then Wright pounced on a mistake by Tinkler for number five.

Wenger summed up: "Perhaps there is a better player in the world than Dennis, but I don't know who it is."

ARSENAL.- Seaman 7; Dixon 6, Winterburn 7, Vieira 8, Bould 7, Adams 7, Wright 6, BERGKAMP 9, Overmars 6 (Anelka 6), Parlour 7 (Platt 7), Petit 7.

BARNSLEY.- Watson 6; Sheridan 6 (Bullock 5), Moses 5, De Zeeuw 7, Redfearn 5, Thompson 6, Liddell 6, Tinkler 6, Krizan 5, Barnard 6, Ward 5.

TOP PREMIER

P W D L F A Pts

Arsenal 10 6 4 0 27 10 22

Man Utd 10 6 3 1 14 4 21

Blackburn 10 5 4 1 20 9 19

Leicester 9 5 3 1 13 6 18

Chelsea 8 5 1 2 22 10 16

Newcastle 7 5 0 2 7 5 15

Leeds 10 4 2 4 11 11 14

Aston Villa 10 4 1 5 11 15 13

West Ham 10 4 1 5 12 17 13

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