Jamie Carragher has compared Romelu Lukaku to two of the very best strikers ever to grace up the Premier League, and played down his similarities to Didier Drogba.
The Chelsea hero is Lukaku's idol, but back in 2015 stressed his displeasure with 'the new Didier Drogba' tag, and Carragher, speaking on last night's Monday Night Football, has instead likened the Belgian international to two of United's best strikers: Ruud van Nistelrooy and Andy Cole, who scored 150 and 121 goals respectively leading the line at Old Trafford.
Image: PA
Advert
The Lukaku-Drogba comparisons have been thrown around a lot ever since Lukaku arrived at Chelsea, but Sky Sports pundit Carragher makes a very good case as to how and why the two don't actually resemblance one another in terms of playing style.
"I think because he came through at Chelsea, and he's a huge presence, it was like 'he's going to replace Drogba, he's going to be the Drogba'," he said on Sky Sports ahead of Arsenal's 2-0 win over West Brom last night.
"He's nothing like Drogba to me. Drogba could be man of the match in a game without scoring. He could dominate centre-backs, dominate a whole back-four, run in channels, knock people out the way.
Advert
"He's more Ruud van Nistlerooy, more Andy Cole, but because [of the Drogba comparisons] we expect something that I don't think he quite is."
Lukaku, who finished second to Harry Kane in the Premier League Golden Boot race last night season, has made an excellent start to life at Manchester United after his £75 million move, but Carragher dismissed the Drogba links and says it's time to look at him differently.
"For me I think his goal scoring record is phenomenal, I think it will be at Manchester United, and it will continue to be so, but I think that criticism has to stop. His numbers are so good, like Van Nistelrooy, as I said, Andy Cole, he's not Drogba.
"Just because he has the same physical attributes as him, doesn't mean he has to play like him, be like him, he's always looking to get in behind and he's always going to score goals.
Advert
"And possibly, if he doesn't score, he may not have that much involvement in the game as maybe a Drogba would, but that's the type of player he is and I think we should start judging him on the type of player he is."
Image: PA
Lukaku has scored six goals in the Premier League this season and is tied with Sergio Aguero and Alvaro Morata in the scoring charts.
Advert
(h/t The Mirror)
Featured Image Credit: PATopics: Romelu Lukaku