‘Wow’: Paul Merson lauds Gareth Bale for moment in Spurs win

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Paul Merson has told Sky Sports that he is reluctant to get carried away by Gareth Bale’s latest performance, but did highlight the one moment in Tottenham Hotspur’s win over Burnley that left him wondering if the Welshman is back to something like his best.

After months of struggling to silence those who had written him off, Bale appears to have turned a corner lately.

He went into Sunday’s clash with the Clarets having scored two and provided two assists in his previous three appearances.

And he went on to steal the show. He scored twice and set up another as Spurs won 4-0. His second goal, in particular, was a moment of sheer brilliance from the 31-year-old.

But Merson suggested that it was at another stage of the game where he got caught up. It came when the summer signing knocked the ball past Charlie Taylor, and swiftly flew past him.

“The one thing I liked about him, when he got the ball on the right side and knocked it past Charlie Taylor like he was just standing there, I thought ‘wow, that was Gareth Bale’. He was lightning quick, not just a good player but he had that turn of pace,” he told Sky Sports.

“When he did it to Taylor, I thought ‘this lad could be back’. But, how is he going to be when it’s a big game, and the full-back he’s playing against is going the other way and he’s got to come back with him?”

In fairness, Bale does probably still have a point to prove against better opposition. But if his confidence is high, it would be foolish to write him off making an impact – no matter the team Spurs are up against.

And based on his current run of form, his confidence is most definitely back.