Ademola Lookman (r.) is the first Englishman to score in the Bundesliga since Owen Hargreaves in 2005. - © © imago
Ademola Lookman (r.) is the first Englishman to score in the Bundesliga since Owen Hargreaves in 2005. - © © imago

Ademola Lookman making up for lost time with RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga

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With debut goals in the English Premier League and the Bundesliga, RB Leipzig's Everton loanee winger Ademola Lookman is clearly a man for the big occasion.

The 20-year-old Englishman opened his Everton account against Pep Guardiola's Manchester City on 17 January 2017, and followed suit last weekend by stepping off the bench to fire Leipzig - the club he joined on a six-month loan deal on deadline day - to a 1-0 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach. No opening night nerves, no rust on the gears - just raw talent.

Watch: Ademola Lookman's superb debut goal for Leipzig

"It was nice for Lookman to score on his debut," head coach Ralph Hasenhüttl told media ahead of Leipzig's Friday night encounter with Augsburg. "He's trained well in his first full week and seems to have settled well."

- © gettyimages / PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images

Following 382 days in career flux, Lookman would have been forgiven for needing a bit of time to get back up to speed. An amateur player as recently as 2014, the Anglo-Nigerian rocketed to fame at Charlton Athletic, claiming the Championship's Apprentice of the Year award, before earning a move to Everton in January 2017. He says he replayed footage his debut effort against Man City "over 100 times," but the joy was short-lived.

Practising goal celebrations for the cameras 📸 Let's hope we get to see it for real again soon, @Alookman_! ⚽ #DieRotenBullen pic.twitter.com/wlFvAnxAI3

— RB Leipzig English (@RBLeipzig_EN) February 8, 2018

Lookman had only trained twice with Leipzig prior to last Saturday's meeting with Gladbach, but that did not prevent Hasenhüttl making use of the five-time England Under-21 international at the first available opportunity.

"He did what I hoped he would," Hasenhüttl said, Lookman having settled the contest with a fine run and finish, just ten minutes after replacing Portugal winger Bruma. "I have to admit, though, I nearly took him off again. He was slipping all over the place. Luckily for him - and me - I kept him on." 

His Bambi-on-ice antics behind him, Lookman has since acquired a new pair of boots that he will be hoping provide him with a foothold in the game at the highest level. As Man City and Gladbach know all too well, the south-east Londoner has the quality to succeed.

Click here for the RB Leipzig vs. Augsburg Match Centre!