Lukaku is money in the bank as Everton top scorer
Published:
Romelu Lukaku is a short price to top score in the Premier League for Everton this year but a lack of competition means he’s as sure a bet as it’s possible to place.
The Belgian can be backed at 4/9 to hit more league goals than any other Toffees player and while big stakes are required for notable profit the 21-year-old is under no threat to be top dog at Goodison Park.
Everton fans would expect as much after seeing their financially-hamstrung club shell out £28m for the former Chelsea star and the 15 goals he grabbed for the Merseyside club last year show they won’t be disappointed.
Last year’s haul was the first time an Everton player had bagged 15 strikes in one season since Yakubu netted the same amount in the 2007-08 campaign.
In fact, Louis Saha (13 in 2009-10) and Marouane Fellaini (11 in 2012-13) are the only other players to have hit double figures since the last Yak Attack, making the task of being Everton top scorer look easily achievable.
Fellaini managed it with 11 after Nikica Jelavic took the honour with a paltry nine the season before.
That was after Jermaine Beckford’s eight proved enough in 2010-11, a total matched by 2008-09 winner Tim Cahill.
Lukaku is a proven scorer, smashing 17 goals for West Brom and 41 in 98 games for Anderlecht before moving to England.
It’s not just his prowess that makes him a sure thing, however, it’s a lack of rivalry from his attacking colleagues too.
Steven Naismith and Kevin Mirallas are next in the betting – both available at 9/1 – but neither looks capable of taking Lukaku’s crown.
The Scot hit nine goals last term and four before that and last hit double figures in 2010-11, while Lukaku’s international team-mate is yet to hit double figures for Everton.
The Belgian smashed 20 in 2011 for Olympiakos and has chipped in with 17 goals in his two seasons at Goodison. This may have been enough in the past but not with Lukaku on board.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
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