Romelu Lukaku Hits Back After Critics Challenge His Record vs. Top Teams
Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku has hit back at criticism that he cannot perform against the top clubs, after he failed to score in last weekend's goalless draw at Liverpool.
After once again failing to find the net against one the Premier League's biggest sides, Lukaku has been forced to respond to criticism that he is a 'flat-track bully' - someone who will dominate the inferior teams, but fail to perform against the top level opponents.
“I have heard that from people,” he said, as quoted by The Guardian. “It’s different when every time I played for Everton we had a different mindset coming into the game."
During his time at Everton, Lukaku managed 13 goals against the 'big six' Premier League sides in 49 matches. Now at Manchester United, Lukaku admits that he is expected to step up after his £90m summer transfer to the club.
"Sometimes it is difficult as well when you play against the top teams and you play not to win and don’t really create chances," he continued.
"It is really difficult. Now I am in a team where we want to win against the big teams and we want to win every game, so I think the situation will change."
In his first big test of the season against Liverpool, comments about Lukaku's ability to perform against the big sides have returned after a disappointing performance. The striker managed just 22 touches in the entire game and managed one shot.
He added, “Knowing that you are going to score and that you are going to miss has to be the striker’s biggest strength but every time I miss people put it like this [exaggerate].
“A lot of strikers in the league miss bigger chances than me but with me it’s always: ‘Rom did this, Rom did that.’ I don’t know why. It’s the standard people set.”
The goalless draw at Anfield was just the second game in which the 24-year-old striker has failed to score this season in all competitions, while he has already bagged seven goals in eight Premier League games.
Lukaku has a chance to shake off his reputation, when United's take on another of the Premier League's big six in Tottenham Hotspur later this month.
