The on-loan forwards helping Fulham and Barnsley end the season strongly

At both ends of the Championship table, two on-loan strikers are working wonders to help their club achieve their seasonal goal. Aleksasdar Mitrovic moved to Fulham in the dying embers of the January transfer window after a switch to Anderlecht fell through and the Cottagers are reaping the rewards of his arrival from Newcastle. 

After a 2-1 win over Sunderland on Friday night, Fulham have scored more goals (43) than any other Championship team in 2018, with Mitrovic the star man in Slavisa Jokanovic’s preferred 4-3-3 formation. Indeed, with the Serb spearheading the attack, Fulham have scored in every game, with Mitrovic rattling in 12 league goals, more than any other player this calendar year, despite not making his debut until the beginning of February. 

As Fulham strive to overhaul Cardiff into second place as the final game of the regular Championship season, Mitrovic has played an essential role in the club’s quest for promotion, with their current 23-match unbeaten run is the longest of its kind in England’s second tier this term. “I think we show that we deserve to be in the first two places for sure,” Mitrovic said recently and had Fulham not endured a stuttering start to the campaign, then it’s feasible to suggest they would have made a sustained challenge for the title. 

An the opposite end of the spectrum, Barnsley go into the final weekend of the season knowing their Championship safety is in their hands and that’s in part owing to the impact Oliver McBurnie has made. The Scottish forward joined on loan at the turn of the year from Swansea and has been exceptional to say the least. 

His nine goals have given Barnsley a chance of survival, with that return bettered only by Mitrovic (12) and Ryan Sessegnon (10) of all Championship players this year. McBurnie’s most recent outing saw him earn a spot in the Championship team of the week, while his nine goals has helped Barnsley to an additional eight points this term, a commendable return to say the least. 

January signings often struggle to make the desired impact following their arrival, yet Mitrovic and McBurnie have hit the ground running and Fulham and Barnsley are benefitting from their goalscoring exploits. With just one match to play of the regular season, the duo can still play a key role for their respective sides in their bid to earn promotion or avoid relegation. 

Both teams will be keen to turn their temporary deals into permanent moves, particularly if they achieve their seasonal goal. Their goalscoring exploits have earned them praise and deservedly so and Fulham and Barnsley will hope Mitrovic and McBurnie can add to their fine record on the final day of the Championship season.