Billy Sharp could break an incredible record during Sheffield United’s match against Blackburn Rovers.
The Blades have one more match in 2018 as they host Blackburn in the Championship on December 29.
Sharp was on the score sheet as United beat Derby County 3-1 on Boxing Day. That was the striker’s 217th in league football this century.
It means that Sharp is now only two goals short of Rickie Lambert’s overall record of 219 league strikes. Wayne Rooney is third in the list with 208.
Lambert has now retired, while Rooney plays for DC United and is unlikely to return to England anytime soon.
Before the calendar year is out Sharp could be the most successful scorer in English league football since the year 2000.
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Billy Sharp’s record
Sharp came through the academy ranks at Bramall Lane and spent time on loan with Rushden and Diamonds, Scunthorpe United and Doncaster Rovers.
The 32-year-old left permanently for Doncaster in 2010 before joining Southampton two years later. Sharp had further loan spells at Nottingham Forest, Reading and back at the Keepmoat Stadium and was then signed by Leeds United.
Then in 2015 the forward returned to the Blades and helped them to promotion from League One two years later. In 223 appearances for United, Sharp has 92 goals.
The attacker now has 51 league strikes in his last 90 matches for United. Since Chris Wilder became manager in the summer of 2017 the club are unbeaten in all 44 games in which Sharp has scored.
This season alone he has 13 strikes in the Championship. Only Neal Maupay (15) and Lewis Grabban (14) have more in the second tier in 2018/19.
Some players may have a better goalscoring ratio in English football, but few can match Sharp for consistency over a long period of time. A brace against Blackburn could make what has been another great year for the striker even greater.