It took him until the last game of 46, but last season Brentford’s Ivan Toney set a new record for most goals scored in a single league season, with 31. With 14 games to play, Aleksandar Mitrovic beat him.

Since 1992/93, Guy Whittingham held the record for most second-tier goals since the introduction of the 46-game format after netting 42 for Portsmouth. With one game to go this campaign, Mitrovic has smashed it.

It goes without saying that the Serbian striker will look back on this season as one of the most memorable of his career, not just because of the history he made, but because it helped Fulham return to the Premier League. League, for the first time. to ask, one more time.

Here, we take a look at how the Cottagers’ prized asset worked its way into the record books.

The 2019/20 season was a success for both player and club, as Mitrovic finished co-winner of the Golden Boot – alongside Brentford’s Ollie Watkins – with 26 goals. Fulham propelled the Bees to promotion to the Premier League when they won the Championship play-off final 2-1 after extra time at Wembley on August 4, 2020.

It was the second-best comeback of his career and there was no reason to suggest he was unable to replicate similar – although probably not quite as prolific – form on his return to the top flight.

But 2020/21 quickly became a slog. He scored a Carabao Cup goal against Ipswich and two goals in a 4-3 loss at Leeds in the second league game of the campaign, but then failed to hit the net for the best part of seven months until he scored Fulham’s only goal in a 3-1 loss to Aston Villa.

In fact, throughout the season, he scored more international goals for Serbia (7) than for his club (4).

There is a very clear correlation between his goals and Fulham’s success and therefore Fulham suffered immediate relegation to the second tier after winning just five games and scoring just 27 goals.

Serbia didn’t take part in Euro 2020 last summer so Mitrovic had a long period to prepare before lining up for the Cottagers’ opener against Middlesbrough on August 8.

His immediate impact was nothing more than a first-minute booking in an eventual 1-1 draw on the banks of the Thames.

But then came the first of many, on a trip to Huddersfield six days later.

With nine minutes on the clock, Terriers goalie Ryan Schofield threw a long ball forward quite impressively, swung one leg to try and kick the ball up, but couldn’t get only enough purchase to find a hidden Mitrovic, who slipped trying. to go home, but still managed to get the ball over the line.

Just like that, his magic touch was back. And it was a sign of things to come, as Marco Silva’s towering, well-drilled and deadly side battled their way to a resounding 5-1 victory.

He then converted a Fabio Carvalho drop against Millwall, before being left unmarked to head into the opener in a 2-0 win over Hull, then scored four goals in as many games when he cleared by about a yard when Harry Wilson generously squared for his team-mate as he came into the penalty area at breakneck speed.

After the international break in September, the Serb scored six out of six games – including a glorious first-half hat-trick in a 3-1 win over Swansea at Craven Cottage on September 29 – taking his tally to 12 goals from 10 matches.

Still, as impressive as that was, a spell between October and November was where he really got his start.

A clinical finish on the corner and a superb gaze header he made easy helped Fulham to a 4-1 victory in the West London derby against QPR, one more against Cardiff, two more against Nottingham Forest then another hat-trick, this time against promotion rivals West Brom, just for good measure.

It’s no surprise, then, that he triumphed in perhaps one of the most one-sided Sky Bet Player of the Month contests on record.

“I have a lot of quality around me in this team, a lot of creative players who create a lot of chances for me, so I have to thank them for helping me score as many goals as in October,” he said. he declared. when collecting the prize.

As he mentioned, many of his goals come from inside the box; a header brushed from a center or a low, composed finish after a flowing attack. But he showed time and time again that he was more than happy to set up a team-mate instead, with two assists in a shock 7-0 win over Blackburn on November 3.

Indeed, that selflessness – similar to that of Toney, who got 10 last season – is exemplified by the fact that he currently has seven assists to his name, taking his commitment figure to 50 goals in 43 games. .

Silva’s men returned to the top of the Championship after a 4-1 win over struggling Barnsley on November 17 but then began to falter after rising to the top, drawing four games and losing one before Christmas.

As mentioned, when Mitrovic struggles in front of goal, so do Fulham – and he’s only scored once in that stretch. What was more disappointing was the fact that Covid-related issues only saw them play three league games between December 11 and January 11.

The layoff served both player and club well, as he came back with two in a 7-0 demolition of Reading and another first-half hat-trick in a 6-2 win over Bristol City .

Despite their leader’s form, Fulham have shown that they are much more than a one-man team and there is no overreliance to speak of. None of the six goals in the 6-2 win over Birmingham were scored or even assisted by him, as they beat Stoke 3-2 without him in the squad, with Rodrigo Muniz proving to be a competent assistant.

He netted his 28th in a 1-1 draw with Blackpool on January 29 and reached 30 with two in a 3-0 win over Millwall 10 days later. In that match, he first launched a recoil from Neco Williams and then caught himself just yards out when Carvalho’s shot was parried his way by Bart Bialkowski.

Williams was the provider when Mitrovic also equaled Toney’s record in a 1-0 win at Hull. The Liverpool loanee fired an inviting ball into the penalty area, where the leader peeked past Matt Ingram from no less than 15 yards out.

In front of the Sky Sports cameras on Saturday February 19, he missed two golden chances against Huddersfield to score the all-important goal, but four days later he made history.

As struggling Peterborough arrived at The Cottage, days after manager Darren Ferguson left, Mitrovic was to be licking his lips. And, with all eyes on him, he delivered under pressure, slamming home a penalty he won himself in the 28th minute.

But he wasn’t done there. He helped himself to a second, connecting with a Neeskens Kebano cross from the left flank and effortlessly finding the net with a nonchalant side-foot volley. A new record was set for the second time in a year.

“The numbers speak for themselves,” Silva said afterwards.

“What I like about him is that he always demands more and more. He knows that from tomorrow I will demand more and more of him. Mitro’s figures reflect our philosophy and the players have bought into it. We are creating and building something important.”

With the best part of three months until the end of the campaign, there was no room to relax. Working to secure the title was the ultimate goal – especially after the Cottagers had been promoted in the play-offs on the last two occasions.

And, of course, he couldn’t help it. He scored five in the next nine games, before two in a 3-0 win over Preston on April 19 helped secure automatic promotion.

Then there were another four days later when the champagne was suspended when Dominic Solanke – whose own current run of 29 would have been enough to win the Golden Boot in 14 of the last 17 seasons – equalized in the 98th minute at Vitality.

And as Fulham finally clinched the title in style, they smashed their way into the box to score their first in the 7-0 demolition of Luton on the bank holiday on Monday, then coolly tucked in another from a tight angle .

Before last day’s trip to Sheffield United, Mitrovic had scored 43 goals in 43 games – an average of one goal per game. Based on that, he should have time to squeeze one more before starting to rest before a high-flying comeback…

Can Mitrovic finally break into the Premier League?

Sky Sports’ Dan Long speaking on the Sky Sports Essential Football podcast:

“He’s been an absolute predator this season, scoring 43 goals on 92 shots on target. He eclipsed Toney’s record months ago and also holds the record for most goals in 46 games. But can he do in the Premier League? You get these players who are too good for the Championship and not good enough for the Premier League – for lack of a better phrase. Dwight Gayle springs to mind, of course.

“History suggests he’s not going to blow up teams the way he did this year but, in all honesty, he missed 11 games last season and only scored three. , so it should be able to improve this return.

“Interestingly, every goal he’s scored has come from inside the box this year, so you would think success in that regard will come down to whether or not Fulham can deliver those crosses, corners, throw-ins, through balls in the area for him to jump on and convert, it goes without saying that it will be more difficult than in the league.

“But it would be nice to see him do well in the Premier League and get rid of that tag.”