JONÁS Gutiérrez has paid Hatem Ben Arfa the biggest compliment an Argentinian footballer can – comparing his FA Cup goal against Blackburn Rovers to Diego Maradona’s second against England in 1986.
Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew called it the greatest goal he had seen in the flesh.
Gutiérrez likened it to a strike which has gone down in his country’s folklore – adding comparisons with international team-mate Lionel Messi for good measure.
The winger said: “Ben Arfa’s goal was magnificent.
“It was the type of goal Lionel Messi would have been proud of, or even Maradona.
“It reminded me of Diego Maradona’s goal against England (in the World Cup quarter-final) in 1986.
“He beat so many players, he just kept on going. What we keep saying to him is when he gets the ball in the last quarter of the pitch, we want him to take on players because he has the skill and he is so quick.
“In the middle of the pitch we tell him just to keep it simple, not to do anything flashy and pass the ball.
“He must do his fancy work in the final third. We know how hard it is to try to tackle Ben Arfa when he is on a run like that. We cannot do it on the training ground.”
Nearly 18 months after signing him, the Magpies are still trying to educate Ben Arfa about English football.
Gutierrez added: “We know he is a good player with the ball at is feet, but he has to understand what English football is all about.
“In Spain or France it is not as physical, maybe there is less contact. You do not always get the free-kicks you would expect in England. When you break your leg like he did (last season) it is sometimes difficult to deal with the physical aspect, but he is doing well.”
Newcastle players scored four goals last week, all of astonishing quality.
Gutiérrez nabbed the last, Saturday’s stoppage-time winner, to set up a fourth-round tie at Brighton or Wrexham.
He said: “I am very happy with my goal. The goalkeeper got close to me and made my mind up.
“The Cup is important to us. It is a quicker route into Europe than the Premier League.”
