5 reasons that suggest everyone is being too harsh on Romelu Lukaku

#1 The numbers' game

Lukaku celebrating a goal

£75 million transfer fee? £200,000 a week salary? Not the numbers we need to focus on. Then, what? This may come as a surprise to many but the big Belgian, quite astonishingly, has scored nearly 200 career goals for club and country.

Put this against the facts that he is still 24 years old, yet to reach his prime, on the good side of the learning curve and not the finished article yet, there is every chance he may go on to break goalscoring records set by previous greats.

We are nearing the business end of the season and Lukaku has already racked up 22 goals and 7 assists in 40 games in all competitions this season. That is more than what his close adversaries Morata and Lacazette have scored, combined.

And speaking after playing a pivotal role in United's win over Chelsea last week, he said: "Year in, year out people expect 20 goals from me. I’ve been doing it for 10 years straight so I think I’ve proved myself. You expect a bit more respect but it’s the situation we’re in. I don’t listen to it. I just want to improve and show the people what I can do on the pitch.” And perhaps he does.