Wayne Rooney singles out Tottenham star after what he did in Villarreal victory

Wayne Rooney couldn't hide his admiration for Lucas Bergvall after Tottenham's Champions League triumph over Villarreal on Tuesday night.

A disastrous Luiz Junior own goal – caused by the Swede's delivery – inside just four minutes settled the match, and whilst it marked another clean sheet for Spurs, it was hardly a commanding performance.

Ex-Arsenal winger Nicolas Pepe caused plenty of problems down the right flank and Tottenham looked sluggish once more in their attacking build-up.

• Robert Lewandowski makes Alan Shearer confession ahead of Newcastle vs Barcelona
• What Cristiano Ronaldo was overheard saying at Man Utd explains why he left the club

"Offensively, we struggled on the day to create something against a good team," Frank candidly confessed following the match in a press conference.

"What I like is that our foundation is strong. Now we are four games won, three in the Premier League, one in the Champions League, and we have four sheets, which is massive."

"We are building the offensive structure more and more. Xavi Simons has just come into the club. It's fair to say he and Djed need a little relationship, of course, to get going.

"I think there was a spell in the second half where we decided to give the ball away every single time we had it. Of course, it's a little bit easier to sit here with a smile, but of course, at that level, we will raise of course."

Despite some patchy moments throughout the encounter, numerous Tottenham players delivered standout individual displays.

Following a goal and assist in the 3-0 victory against West Ham United, Bergvall sparkled once more, leaving Rooney utterly impressed with his showing.

"Sometimes you forget how young he is because he played a lot of games last season, and the maturity with which he plays is fantastic," the Manchester United legend said on Amazon Prime Video.

"So he shows different sides to his game this season, last season he played a bit deeper, and to play as a number ten is not easy, it's not easy to get on the ball and be in the right positions, but I thought today he showed the different side to his game, which will only improve him in the future."

Alan Shearer, who was providing co-commentary for the clash at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, was equally taken with the 19 year old and duly awarded him man of the match honours.

Frank has similarly praised Bergvall, with his remarks following the north London derby triumph this past weekend offering clues about the youngster's future role.

"First and foremost I think his performance was good today. I really like his energy, his pressing skill, his enthusiasm," he said.

"I think he drags the team with him, in a kind of way. And there is so much he can learn and improve. So I think that is promising as well. Fantastic goal. Well-timed run. Top ball from Romero. And a well-executed header."

Join our new WhatsApp communityand receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice