Erling Haaland has scored 51 goals since August 2021, Aleksandar Mitrović has scored 52: where does Fulham’s Serbian striker come from?

51 achievements in all competitions in less than a season and a half, that’s a statistic that has enough to make many top strikers in Europe pale. It is obviously the work of Erling Haaland, who, when he is not injured or spared by Pep Guardiola this season, puts on the goals like pearls. Except that this weekend, the Skyblues face Fulham, astonishing seventh in the Premier League; and their number 9 Aleksandar Mitrović has a superior one-goal record over the same period.

44 games, 43 goals

Last year, Mitrović toyed with the Championship defenses in his garden at Craven Cottage, planting no less than 43 goals in 44 games – and seven assists, excuse me. The Serb had also found time in November to crucify Portugal at the Estádio da Luz in Lisbon in added time to qualify Serbia for the World Cup, sending the winner of Euro 2016 at the same time. entangled in spring dams. Unless there is an accident, Mitrović will therefore see Qatar with his selection; selection of which he is of course the top scorer.

Despite his obviously rich CV, Aleksandar Mitrović’s club career has been rather modest. In fact, the Eagles striker, trained at Partizan Belgrade, only knew Anderlecht and Newcastle, before settling down for good in London. And although the Fulham district is home to both the Cottagers stadium and Stamford Bridge, it is not with Chelsea that the native of Smederevo has been living his love affair since 2018.

His needy demeanor, his strength of character which denotes the great tranquility he displays outside the lawns, and his self-sacrifice, made Mitrović one of the darlings of the public at Craven Cottage. But to sum up the character, nothing like what the Serb was told when he was younger, by his father: “He told me that I would end up a kickboxer, or a criminal“.

The other charming asset of Aleksandar Mitrović is his loyalty; because since his time on loan between January and May 2018, at the end of which Fulham was promoted to the Premier League, he has not departed from the white and black tunic, and has signed up until 2026. Sufficient for that “Mitro” is entitled to its own chorus among the supporters.

He never left the ship when it sank into the depths of the first division, until relegation, to better participate in the rise the following year. Fulham is the elevator, he is the groom: since his arrival, the team has never played two seasons in a row at the same level. But this time, it could be the right one: at the third of the course, the troop of Marco Silva sticks to the train of the big cars, and is even ahead of Liverpool and Brighton.

Knighted by Alan Shearer

Of the 22 goals scored by the Lilywhites, the Serb has 9, notably against Arsenal and Tottenham. His double against Liverpool, on the first day, had particularly enchanted his lifelong idol Alan Shearer: “He made the afternoon very difficult for the defence, and you can’t say that often with Liverpool. And particularly with Virgil Van Dijk.”

Supported by a line of 3 attacking midfielders behind him in a 4-2-3-1, he weighs his 89 meter on the opposing defenses and becomes a privileged exit door for his team. Faced with the stifling pressing of Manchester City, his role will be decisive for the Cottagers to give themselves the means to shake up the skyblue machine.