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Football

08th Jan 2017

Even Arsenal fans were impressed with Daryl Horgan and the Preston support can’t get enough

It begins...

Conan Doherty

As 10 minutes go, this was pretty productive.

Saturday 7 January 2017 could be the day that everything changed for Daryl Horgan.

Everyone in Ireland is already fully aware of what this man can do. They know that there’s not that big of a gap between the level he was operating at and where he’s asked to shine now but even the best might gulp at the prospect of making a debut against a rampant Arsenal side petrified of losing.

Daryl Horgan just licked his lips.

In the 81st minute, the Irishman was sprang from the bench in favour of Daniel Johnson and he lit the place up. Defensively, he was sound. He looked sharp and fit. Offensively, he was giving poor Ainsley Maitland-Niles a couple of heart attack moments – so much so that Arsene Wenger eventually reacted by throwing on a fresh pair of legs at right back.

Arsenal fans on social media are largely a manic but impatient bunch and, when it looked like the former Dundalk man – Preston’s new number 7 – was pushing momentum back at the Gunners and threatening a second for the hosts at Deepdale, the mob began to turn.

Their young cover at right back, Maitland-Niles put in a promising shift himself but he was gallivanting forward without a care in the world and, when Horgan came onto the scene, that was risky business.

The Irish man was introduced in the 81st minute, and opinion started to change.

The weakness was being exploited by Preston.

Whilst the language is uncalled for, it showed the frustration and worry from the Gunners support.

Tricky.

And the scare prompted one Arsenal fan to hijack their man of the match voting, and laud Daryl Horgan instead.

The rest is just Preston supporters getting excited by one thrilling cameo. And you can’t blame them.

They’ve gone and found some of his old highlights now too.