LUK OUT.. I CAN GET BETTER
Romelu equals Ferguson record and now sets his sights on more
IF there was a single moment to justify why Everton harbour top-four ambitions, it was Romelu Lukaku’s bull-like charge for their second goal.
It was a phenomenal piece of forward play, pace and skill to sprint half the length of the pitch and outrun the speedy Bryan Oviedo, and the sheer, eye-popping power to brush him aside and score.
That is the difference between these two sides. Sunderland simply don’t have a player of that quality, but also lack the edge required to make a difference when it really matters.
Lukaku is now joint all-time Premier League top scorer for the Blues, alongside Goodison Park legend Duncan Ferguson.
It is no coincidence the Scottish striker – now Everton coach – has been winding up Lukaku about the record of 60 goals in recent weeks.
Belgium hitman Lukaku said: “Duncan spoke to me about it in a way to keep me sharp and test me a bit, which is fine.
“Football is like that – you have to test yourself and put yourself through these moments, if you want to improve. It was him winding me up more, but he knows it is for a good cause.
“He wants me to help my team-mates to win and I want to win. I’m happy.”
The Toffees had shown similar desire in opening the scoring before the break, Idrissa Gueye finishing Seamus Coleman’s cross.
But when Jermain Defoe hit the bar and Lukaku immediately broke to score his goal, it was the moment that showed the difference between the two teams. It also showed that Ferguson has worked hard to get more aggression from the Belgian.
At times, Lukaku has appeared too laidback, but here he had all the physicality of the Blues hero... along with more pace, and an even better eye for goal.
“The power is my strength,” he added. “But I don’t forget the aspects where I can improve. I want to be a complete player and to score in every type of way.
“Desire? I want to win. I want to win trophies. End as high as I can and help my team-mates push through the limits. Push each other.”
For Sunderland, there is a sense of growing desperation, caused largely by their seeming lack of any goal threat whatsoever.
While Defoe remains potent, he had just one chance here, and hit the bar, which suggests he will probably need to take most, if not all, the chances he gets from now on, if his side are to stay up.
For Black Cats boss David Moyes, the challenge, as he admitted himself, is to get some of his expensive alternative attacking options firing, like Fabio Borini, Seb Larsson and Adnan Januzaj.
Asked about misses from all three players, he said: “We are lacking quality at times, that I hope would give us a chance or a goal.
“We know if we can get it to Jermain, he will get a shot away or an opportunity. We are not getting him enough service, but it is because we are not getting enough good ball further up the pitch.
“We are scrapping to get that. I need those players, and we paid big money for a lot of them, to stand up and show what they can do.”
But he remains optimistic about the club escaping the relegation trap-door, adding: “I’m going to have to win about 10 games to give myself any chance. So I’ve got a bit of work to do between now and the end of the season!”