Romelu Lukaku has taken his game up another level to lead Inter's Serie A title charge

Inter went top of Serie A on Sunday night with a 3-1 victory over a strong Lazio side, one that had won five league matches in a row heading to San Siro.

Romelu Lukaku, signed from Manchester United in August 2019 for £66.6m, netted twice to reach 300 career goals and ensure Antonio Conte's side took full advantage of AC Milan's defeat at Spezia, leapfrogging their local rivals and putting them top of the pile in Italy.

Since making the switch to Inter, the Belgian has scored an impressive 56 goals in 80 appearances for the club - but we always knew he was an expert marksman, so what else has he added to his game since leaving the Premier League?

The 27-year-old has often been labelled by his critics as a 'flat-track bully' only capable of impacting games vs weaker sides, but this season, he's found the back of the net in fixtures agains Milan, Napoli and now Lazio.

Always a handful physically, Lukaku has added a further sophistication to his forward play of late, proving himself to be key in Inter's build-up as well as remaining a very competent finisher. His ability to run the channels and provide his teammates with a target if and when they wish to apply a more direct approach has proven invaluable to the Nerazzurri's title challenge.

In terms of the number of direct assists he has provided this season, you could be forgiven for thinking that his total of four in the league this season feels somewhat underwhelming - strike partner Lautaro Martinez has the same amount, too - but you needn't watch more than 90 minutes to understand his importance to the team.

Inter boss Conte in December described the player as a 'rough diamond' who has the ability to go on and become one of world football's best strikers. So far this season, he's got 16 goals in 21 league appearances, despite going through a mini-drought in January.

Lukaku went four games without scoring and that prompted talk in Italy regarding his price tag, and there were suggestions Inter had overpaid for the 27-year-old. However, four goals in his next three appearances have gone a long way to silence those critics.

When it comes to his playing style, Lukaku can sometimes look a little awkward and perhaps not as silky as some of his peers. But in terms of his effectiveness, right now, the former Chelsea man is as good as most.

Under Conte, he has developed tactically, works harder than ever and is a more well-rounded forward than he has ever been.

In the eyes of some, £66.6m was a huge amount of money to pay for Lukaku, but if he takes Inter to their first Scudetto since 2010, it will undoubtedly have been money well spent.