The popular saying 'De Zerbi ball' has returned to our social media feeds after Brighton beat the Newcastle press from kick-off with ease during their Premier League Summer Series clash.
A late brace from highly-rated Newcastle youth product Elliot Anderson cancelled out Danny Welbeck's second-half opener in what turned into an entertaining affair at the Red Bull Arena, New Jersey.
Eddie Howe's side, who will play Champions League football in the coming months after securing a top-four finish, continued their impressive pre-season campaign with the 2-1 victory on Friday night.
Advert
Harvey Barnes made his long-awaited debut for the Magpies following his £40 million move from Leicester, while exciting young right-back Harrison Ashby was awarded his maiden Newcastle start at first-team level.
But it was a 39-second clip of 'De Zerbi ball' that inevitably grabbed the headlines on social media. How good is this?
Here's how social media reacted to the sequence of play.
Advert
One fan said: "The way De Zerbi has coached this group of players is incredible. 100% trust in every player to receive the ball under pressure. One of the best coaches in world football right now."
A second commented: "I don’t think Pep is joking when he learns from De Zerbi. Absolutely madness possession ball to break the press," while another wrote: "De Zerbi ball really is a thing of beauty."
A fourth said: "Look how aggressively Newcastle pressed and Brighton just pass it around like prime Barcelona."
A fifth added: "People watch this and are still obsessed with 'big names' in the window. Just focus on your style of play and make sure the players you bring in have the ability and attitude to implement it."
Back in May, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola labelled Roberto De Zerbi 'one of the most influential managers in the last 20 years'.
Advert
When asked if he was impressed by the Brighton manager's performance this season, Guardiola delivered a compliment for the ages.
“Pay attention to what I’m about to say because I’m convinced in what I’m saying that [Roberto De Zerbi] is one of the most influential managers in the last 20 years," he said. "There is no team that plays the way they play, it’s unique.
“Congratulations to Brighton for this incredible achievement of getting into Europe.
"I had the feeling that when he arrived I had an idea the impact he would have on the Premier League would be great but I couldn’t expect him to do it in such a short time.
Advert
“They create on average 20-25 chances per game. They monopolise the ball in a way that hasn't been seen for a long time. Everybody is involved - the goalkeeper is like a holding midfielder.”
Thoughts on 'De Zerbi ball'? Can Brighton go one step further and crack the top five this season?
Let us know in the comments.
Featured Image Credit: Getty - Twitter/@premierleagueTopics: Brighton And Hove Albion, Newcastle United, Premier League, Roberto De Zerbi, Eddie Howe, Fan Reactions
