When Romelu Lukaku ripped off his shirt in celebration of his dramatic winner against Southampton, it was more than just an act of pure elation.
After a week in which his physique had been questioned, Lukaku wanted to send a clear message that he is fit, firing and hungry to be Manchester United’s main man.
United are flying under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer but, relegated to the bench, Lukaku will not have enjoyed the last couple of months.
Romelu Lukaku scored a dramatic winner for Manchester United against Southampton
Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford have been deservedly praised to the hilt since Solskjaer replaced Jose Mourinho. Constant plaudits for the players in his position will have been incredibly difficult for Lukaku to take.
When he was given a rare start against Fulham last month, he failed to stake his claim to rise in the pecking order. After the game, I argued that he was the one player who had not shown an improvement under Solskjaer.
Injuries have given him another route back into the team and he deserves immense credit for the way he has seized his chance this time. Instead of sulking, he came to the rescue for his team at just the right time.
He is brimming with confidence after back-to-back braces against Crystal Palace and Southampton.
If he wants to prove that he can lead the line for United, he now needs to show he can deliver on the biggest stages.
The Belgian forward has hit form recently and needs to prove he is the man for a big game
At his best, defenders cannot handle Lukaku’s pace and physicality, but he often lacks the clever movement and ability to sniff out a chance in the penalty area that you need to be a top-quality forward.
Harry Kane may not be the quickest but his intelligent movement allows him to create his own chances from all manner of positions.
Since the start of last season, Kane has scored eight goals against Tottenham’s top-six rivals. Lukaku has scored just one in that time, against Chelsea in February 2018.
United need him to start delivering in the big games, starting on Sunday at Arsenal, which is shaping up to be a shootout for the top four.
Score the decisive goal in this huge game and Lukaku will go a long way to proving that he can be a great Manchester United forward.
I felt for Southampton’s players, who looked to have earned a hard-fought point at Old Trafford before Romelu Lukaku’s sucker punch.
United have now won a record nine
