In 2019/20, David McGoldrick playing for Sheffield United in the Premier League was struggling to find the back of the net, massively underperforming his xG. The forward then finished as the Blades’ highest scorer the following season. However, Sheffield United ended up getting relegated and McGoldrick once again struggled for goals and it wasn’t that he was unlucky this time around.

The veteran moved on a free to Derby County in League One after four full seasons at Bramall Lane and has so far been one of the best players in League One. The below visualisation shows where McGoldrick ranks for some of the key metrics when compared with the other centre-forwards from England’s third tier of football.

Only Peterborough’s Jonson Clarke-Harris (21 goals) has scored more goals than David McGoldrick (16) in this season’s League One. However, Clarke-Harris has played at least 1000 minutes more than the Derby forward. This goes on to show McGoldrick’s incredible consistency in finding the back of the net. McGoldrick is set to finish with his career-best tally for goals this season — an astonishing achievement at 35 years of age.

He is one of the most well-rounded centre-forwards in the league as seen in the visual above. Sometimes playing as an attacking midfielder, McGoldrick also has the ability to find his teammates at ease and create high-quality chances. After a slow start to the season, having scored only 1 goal in his first 8 appearances, McGoldrick has mostly been a regular name on the scoresheet since Paul Warne was appointed manager, especially in the last few weeks, with the 35-year-old scoring in four of his last five appearances at the time of the writing.

Ranking in the top 10% for a number of key attacking metrics, David McGoldrick has played a key part in Derby’s push for promotion. The promotion to the Championship just a year after getting relegated is not a certainty but if Derby are to get promoted it wouldn’t be a surprise if McGoldrick plays for them again next season.