Lukaku is looking just like Lukaku again ...

FOR Romelu Lukaku, the dreaded second season syndrome has proved hard to conquer.

After going a long way to justifying his £75million move from Everton to Manchester United with 27 goals in his debut season at Old Trafford, Lukaku has found it hard to replicate that form this term.

Branded “untouchable” last season by United boss Jose Mourinho, this campaign has not been so smooth for Lukaku with injury and poor form sabotaging any hope of building on the success of last term.

After ending his 12-game goal drought in United’s 2-2 draw at Southampton a week ago, Lukaku’s reward was to be dropped in midweek for the draw by the same scoreline at home to Arsenal. Coming off the bench in the second half against the Gunners, Lukaku completed one pass in his 27 minutes on the pitch, the stat summing up a frustrating season in which he has seen his effectiveness as United’s main striker legitimately called into question.

But here, admittedly against the Premier League’s hapless bottom club, the Belgian found a platform from which to relaunch his season with a display that, while reaffirming his qualities, also shone a light on his enduring limitations.

There were the obligatory Lukaku-esque moments of farce, notably in the first half when the ball was played into him in a dangerous

SUNDAY PEOPPEOPLE position, off the shoulder of the last defender, but his first touch was so clumsy he ended up tackling himself and losing possession.

The 25- year- old can still be guilty of complicating simple things, such as just before the hour, when he seized on a poor clearance from Rico but underhit his own pass to Juan Mata, who did well to gather the ball and find Ander Herrera, who dragged a shot wide.

He is also still infuriatingly wasteful for a striker at this elite level, such as in the 81st minute, when Marcus Rashford put him through on goal, but Lukaku chose the wrong