The Man Amid a Stampede

"It is no accident that Berbatov and Cantona share onfield qualities. The one who sees things differently, does things differently. Loner behaviour can be effective when a game is raging. Berbatov has Cantona’s knack of being the man amid a stampede towards the door who stops to notice a side exit that nobody else has seen. He will pause, just as an attack is flowing, and play the hitherto unimagined pass. He will beat a goalkeeper with a sudden shot when there was little warning of danger. Cleverness ties with boldness as the prime attributes Ferguson seeks in attackers, and Berbatov is the single player..."

- Jonathan Northcroft, in the Times Online via 101 Great Goals