Everyone knows what Romelu Lukaku is capable of.
After all, he’s been doing it for so long, his Manchester United start shouldn’t really be a surprise.
Equalling Louis Saha’s scoring record of scoring six goals in his first six Premier League games for the Red Devils, the striker could break that if he finds the back of the net against Crystal Palace at the weekend.
Scoring goals comes naturally to him, and everywhere he goes, coaches are left astounded by his ability, which is why José Mourinho was so intent on teaming up with him again at Old Trafford.
There is, however, one record he might struggle to break these days, and that’s one he created himself: 76 goals in one season.
Speaking to DH in Belgium, Tony Van Brandt, who coached Lukaku at Lierse as an U13, revealed how impressive the 24-year-old was, even back then.
“He said: “In all my years as a manager at Lierse, I’ve coached some very good players like Bob Peeters, Dirk Huysmans or Hans Somers, but a player like Lukaku, you only have one in a lifetime.
“We were champions that season, and Romelu scored 76 of our 156 goals. It was phenomenal, but sometimes it was worrying to see some of the hits his opponents gave him. During a tournament in Eindhoven, he ridiculed PSV so much that parents were screaming ‘Break him! Send him back to the dressing room’”.
It was after that season that Lukaku ended up being spotted by Anderlecht, and after two years with Lierse, the young striker finally got his big move.
The rest, as they say, is history.
