Odion Ighalo will attempt to break a 95-year-old Manchester United record when the Red Devils take on LASK in Wednesday’s Europa League Round of 16 clash billed for Old Trafford.
The Nigerian has been handed a starter’s place in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s squad to battle Valerien Ismael’s men for a place in the quarter-final.
He scored a goal in the first leg against the Austrians as the Red Devils cruised to a 5-0 win at the inside Linzer Stadium.
Bruno Fernandes picked out Ighalo on the edge of the box, with the ex-Watford man juggling the ball to set himself up, before unleashing a fierce left-footed strike that was unstoppable for goalkeeper Alexander Schlager.
Should the Shanghai Shenhua loanee find the net against the Black and Whites, he would become the first player in the Old Trafford giants’ history to have scored in each of his first five competitive starts for United.
Scoring in a FA Cup quarter-final tie against Norwich City ensured that the former Super Eagles striker equalled Jimmy Hanson’s record achieved in 1925.
According to Opta, Hanson – who was forced out of football owing to a serious injury – scored in consecutive starts against Hull City, Blackpool, Derby County and Aston Villa.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic was on the verge of equalling Hanson’s record when he scored in three consecutive outings for the Manchester-based outfit.
Ighalo was a surprise addition to Solskjaer’s side at the end of the mid-season transfer window as cover for injured Marcus Rashford, who was sidelined with a back issue.
The Nigerian, who previously played for Premier League side Watford, impressed in his eight appearances before lockdown and the consequent postponement of football – scoring four goals in three starts – and the club extended his stay until January 2021.
