Everton take on high-flying Leicester in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon at Goodison Park and there is a fascinating sub-plot developing ahead of the match-up.
Romelu Lukaku and Leicester’s Jamie Vardy are the two most in-form forwards in the country, but who is the better player as things stand?
Let’s explore who does what best.
Finishing
Considering that they are both scoring goals for fun at the moment and are the two leading scorers in the league, it is obvious that these two players know how to stick the ball in the back of the net.
However, with Vardy leading the standings and with Lukaku sometimes criticised for missing a succession of chances (more so than the Foxes’ forward), this one has to go to Vardy.
Pace
In the modern game speed is a huge part of any player’s game and it is a facet that these two fine players have in abundance.
The big Belgian is deceptively big for his size, but Vardy is very hard to stop when he stretches his legs out – the former Fleetwood man grabs this category as well. Just.
Heading
Only one winner here. While Jamie Vardy scores goals that are all of a similar nature, Everton’s main man grabs all sorts of goals and despite not being as good in the air as his size and stature dictates he should, he is easily the winner of this award ahead of the more diminutive Vardy.
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Ability With Both Feet
One of the most important aspects of being a striker in the Premier League is your ability to strike the ball well with both feet.
Both of these players are comfortable with the ball on either foot, but Lukaku is definitely the more accomplished and natural finisher with his right peg than his compatriot is with his unfavoured left.
Skill
The Leicester man builds his game around persistence and hard work, while the Toffees forward is certainly more of a flair player.
Lukaku can easily take on a man whenever the time calls for it and there is no doubt that he has a larger bag of tricks – an easy winner here.
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Work Rate
There is more than an air of Luis Suarez in the way Jamie Vardy leads the line for his side, with his refusal to stop chasing and harrying, combined with his destructive quality on the ball.
Contrastingly, you get the impression that scoring a goal in a game relaxes Lukaku to the point where he will take his foot off the gas and give himself a breather. Vardy is an easy winner here.
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Conclusion
It’s very tight and the two players certainly have different attributes, but with Lukaku at the age of 22 and with three and a half years of proven top flight quality to his name, he is the man you would go for ahead of Vardy, who is older and perhaps just going through a purple patch.
The Leicester man has been around for a while and is only just showing his quality in these last 18 months, so Lukaku’s potential and history means he pips his rival to the post.