Race to be this season's top goalscorer in Europe
Manchester United pair Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford are both in contention to finish as the top goalscorer in European competition this season, with only one player able to boast more strikes in 2020/21.
According to UEFA.com, factoring in goals scored in the Champions League and Europa League, Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland leads the chart with 10 to his name. Crucially, however, the Norway international is no longer involved in European competition and, as a result, his lead is there for the taking, with a number of contenders within close proximity.
Fernandes is second with nine goals, split between four in the Champions League against Paris Saint-Germain, Istanbul Basaksehir (2) and RB Leipzig, plus five in the Europa League versus Real Sociedad (2), Granada and Roma (2).
Academy graduate Rashford is joint-third in UEFA’s chart with eight goals (alongside French superstar Kylian Mbappe) and his tally includes six in the Champions League against PSG (2), RB Leipzig (3) and Basaksehir, plus two in the Europa League versus Real Sociedad and Granada.
There are three players with seven goals to their name - Benfica's Pizzi, Lille's Yusuf Yazici and Roma forward Borja Mayoral - but they have all been eliminated.
There are a number of players with six goals, although only two of them are sill involved in European competition: Villarreal duo Gerard Moreno and Paco Alcacer, plus Chelsea's Olivier Giroud. Manchester City's top scorers in Europe this season are Riyad Mahrez and Ferran Torres with four each.
Make time for Bruno’s highlights v Roma
Registering two goals and as many assists, Bruno Fernandes was on fire against Roma in the first leg...
10 = Erling Haaland, Borussia Dortmund (CL)
9 = Bruno Fernandes, Manchester United (4 x CL, 5 x EL)
8 = Kylian Mbappe, Paris Saint-Germain (CL)
8 = Marcus Rashford, Manchester United (6 x CL, 2 x EL)
7 = Pizzi, Benfica (EL)
7 = Yusuf Yazıcı, Lille (EL)
7 = Borja Mayoral, Roma (EL)
6 = Carlos Vinícius, Tottenham Hotspur (EL)
6 = Gerard Moreno, Villarreal (EL)
6 = Alvaro Morata, Juventus (CL)
6 = Neymar, Paris Saint-Germain (CL)
6 = Mislav Orsic, Dinamo Zagreb (EL)
6 = Paco Alcacer, Villarreal (EL)
6 = Munas Dabbur, Hoffenheim (EL)
6 = Olivier Giroud, Chelsea (CL)
6 = Youssef En-Nesyri, Sevilla (CL)
6 = Mohamed Salah, Liverpool (CL)
6 = Karim Benzema, Real Madrid (CL)
6 = Nicolas Pepe, Arsenal (EL)
Speaking after his brace against Roma earlier this month, Fernandes said: “I scored 32 at Sporting so I expect to pass that mark! My target every time is to do better and better and my target now, as everyone knows, is to win trophies. For myself [my target] is to improve every season.
“I think if I score 32 goals in one season, I can do better. I know it’s a big number but why not!? If you dream about and fight for it, you can do it. I will keep improving on that and trying to do better and better and keep trying to give more assists. My best season with assists was 20, I don’t know how many I have this season, but I have to reach that level again.”