Dries Mertens becomes first player since 1974 to score consecutive Serie A hat tricks
Napoli's pocket dynamo Dries Mertens put four past Joe Hart and Torino on Sunday, becoming the first player since 1974 to score consecutive Serie A hat tricks following his three against Cagliari the week previous.
No one has managed the feat since Juventus' Pietro Anastasi back in May of 1974, and Mertens' fourth goal made him the first to hit a hat trick plus one since Domenico Berardi stuck four past Milan in 2014.
The match itself was an absolute epic, with Mertens opening the scoring in the 13th minute, and completing his hat trick after just eight minutes, the best of which was a sublime chip over Torino goalkeeper Hart. Mertens grabbed his fourth in the 80th minute, and Napoli eventually ran out 5-3 winners against Torino, taking them up to third in Serie A, just a point off second-placed Roma, but a full eight behind leaders Juventus.
Napoli sold Gonzalo Higuain in the summer, and they're without striker Arkadiusz Milik after he tore knee ligaments, but tiny Dries Mertens has been the man for the Partenopei, filling in both on the wing and as a false nine in their absence.
Looks like he's settled into his new role pretty well.
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