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Flat track bully? Uncomfortable figures for Everton striker Romelu Lukaku

Everton's Romelu Lukaku (REUTERS)
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Everton’s Romelu Lukaku bagged four at the weekend.

Everton striker Romelu Lukaku is the man of the moment after scoring four goals in the weekend’s win over Bournemouth.

The Belgian now has 16 Premier League goals for the season, and looked unstoppable in the win over the Cherries.

Everton's Romelu Lukaku celebrates scoring their fifth goalEverton’s Romelu Lukaku celebrates scoring their fifth goal

Yet his problem is that despite 16 goals in 22 games looking like a consistent goal record, he has been anything but, and in big games he has been found wanting.

Garth Crooks praises Lukaku but asks if he can win trophies at Everton

A staggering statistic shows Lukaku’s woeful strike rate in matches against the ‘big six’.

Versus Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham over the past three seasons, Lukaku has played 30 matches – and scored just three goals.

The term ‘flat track bully’ is always a harsh one to use, but it is hard to see how it does not apply to the Belgium international with his recent record.

Everton's Romelu Lukaku celebrates scoring their fifth goalEverton’s Romelu Lukaku celebrates scoring

Lukaku certainly has the potential and the ability to produce the type of form he did against top class opposition, but he rarely does.

For a striker who has spoken about his ambition to play in the Champions League, he needs to do more, and it is this lack of production against top sides which has contributed to the fact no teams were willing to pay Everton’s asking price for him in the summer.

He may hope that his highlight reel of a performance against Bournemouth sways a team into bidding big for him this summer, but teams who are savvy with their money will hold off on making such a commitment until they see him hit the same heights against a top opposition.