Premier League: Everton striker hits top-scorer frame

Romelu Lukaku is unlikely to be daunted by a 28 million price tag

Everton's 28 million investment in Romelu Lukaku will be vindicated by another 15 goal-plus season ...

The statistic that Everton fans are rightly quoting back at those ridiculing their decision to spend a club transfer record-shattering 28 million on Romelu Lukaku is that he has scored more Premier League goals than any player besides Luis Suarez and Robin van Persie in the past two years.

It is also one of the reasons why the Belgian international looks a gorgeous bet to be one of the division's top four scorers in 2014/15 at 6.25/1.

Lukaku has never endured a mediocre season let alone a barren one, notching at least 15 times in all four of the campaigns in which he was granted more than two starts.

The 21-year-old - and it never stops feeling absurd that he can still be so young - was the Belgian Pro League top scorer in his breakout year with 15 regular competition strikes (in future editions, play-off goals would also count) and followed up with a fourth place-earning 16 in 2010/11.

2011/12 was a non-event, with Chelsea ruling that the best use for an alleged 20 million signing was to sit him on the bench or in the stands, granting him just one Premier League start and seven substitute runouts.

As soon as he was allowed to showcase his talent on loan, his quality instantly shone as he netted 17 times in 20 starts at West Brom then 15 in 29 at Everton, with Suarez the only other person to fire at least 15 times in both 2012/13 and 2013/14.

Lukaku didn't quite crack the top-scorer top four on either occasion, but he was two efforts short in each attempt, which is some achievement given that he was always adapting to new surroundings, teammates and playing styles.

Now, he finally has some stability, a manager who is his biggest advocate and a near-guarantee of a starting place, which are all ingredients that should ensure that he is better than ever before in his second season at Goodison Park.

The improved tally that Lukaku delivered in his second term at Anderlecht stands as evidence that consistency and trust are key to inspiring his finest form.

Recommended Bet: Back Romelu Lukaku to be one of the Premier League's top four scorers @ 6.25/1