Albion dead ball specialist David has been mentioned in the same breath as Italian genius Gianfranco Zola.

The Spaniard’s 20-yard free-kick gave the Seagulls a two-goal cushion at half-time in Sunday’s emphatic victory over arch rivals Crystal Palace at The Amex.

Penalty taker David’s set piece expertise puts him second only to Zola, according to Albion chief Gus Poyet.

Zola’s former team-mate at Chelsea said: “After Gianfranco Zola I haven’t seen another one taking free-kicks like David Lopez. He is outstanding.

“It was funny, because I was trying to convince everybody to let him take it. Kazenga (LuaLua) wanted it and Andrea Orlandi, so it was their call. It was the last kick of the first half. What a change, that changed the game.

"Imagine the second half 1-0 against an Ian Holloway team? You know how difficult it would have been to hold that 1-0 lead. Two-nil was a bit easier."

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