Romelu Lukaku has made quite the impact in Serie A this season but he comes up against one of Europe's most in-form strikers in Ciro Immobile when Inter visits Lazio on Sunday.
Lazio has been one of the surprise packages in Italy's top flight this term and is just one point adrift of table-topping Inter ahead of a huge clash at Stadio Olimpico.
The performances of Immobile and Lukaku could well be crucial in determining the outcome of a blockbuster encounter between two teams aiming to end Juventus' stranglehold of Serie A.
Here's a look at how the two compare this season.
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IMMOBILE ON FIRE IN FRONT OF GOAL
Lukaku said "there's a new king in town" after helping Inter down Milan in the derby last weekend, and he has been an undoubted success during his maiden campaign at Inter. Thus far he has 17 goals in 23 Serie A appearances with an impressive minutes-to-goal average of 116.
But Immobile is Lazio's leading light, scoring 25 times in 23 league games, giving him an impressive average of a goal every 77 minutes in the top flight.
The Lazio man has also taken more shots (including blocked efforts), registering 93 to Lukaku's tally 68, with 46 on target compared to 35 for the Belgium striker.
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Lukaku has scored nine and missed 10 'big chances', with Immobile's numbers reading 15 and 12 in that department. The Italian has a slightly better shot conversion rate (including blocks) of 27 per cent to 25.
CIRO THE CREATOR? LUKAKU UP FOR THE BATTLE
Lukaku's strengths are not just his goal-scoring prowess but his ability to bring teammates in to play.
Immobile is no slouch in terms of those attributes, though, and his six assists and 41 chances created outstrip what Lukaku (two and 34 in the respective categories) has managed this season.
Where Lukaku has outperformed Immobile is the number of duels won, with his 104 some way clear of Immobile's 65. Unsurprisingly, his duel success rate of 44.07 per cent is better than the Lazio forward's 38.69. In terms of recoveries, Immobile has made 59 to Lukaku's 44.
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THE STATS
- Immobile has failed to score in his past two league games; he has not gone three without a goal since last May.
- After scoring twice in his first three matches against Inter, Immobile has failed to net in the following eight against the Nerazzurri.
- Lukaku has the most away goals in the top five European leagues this season with 12, while Immobile is the highest scorer in home fixtures with 15 (the same total as Cristiano Ronaldo).
- Indeed, Lukaku's tally of 12 away goals is already the joint-best for a debut Serie A campaign. Andriy Shevchenko (1999-2000) and Antonio Vojak (1929-30) also managed as many on the road in their maiden seasons.
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