Only Messi has more! Revealed: Englishman Murray is Europe's second highest scorer



Sportsmail can reveal that Glenn Murray sits behind Lionel Messi in the goalscoring charts.

After looking at the top two divisions in Europe's five best Leagues we have found that only Barcelona's Argentinian maestro can match Crystal Palace's lethal marksman.



Opening the scoring in the Eagles' 2-1 win over Bristol City last night, Murray took his tally for the season to 28.

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Goal machine: With Cardiff City slipping up last night Murray's goal helped close the gap on the leaders

Murray is latest Spotland sensation

There must be something in the water up at Spotland, for Rochdale have developed an uncanny knack of providing a springboard for late-developing strikers.

Premier League fans will know all about Grant Holt and Rickie Lambert - who were paired together at Dale during the 2005-06 season under Steve Parkin - but the replacements signed when they left for Nottingham Forest and Bristol Rovers respectively weren't bad either.

Adam Le Fondre, currently plying his trade in the Premier League with Reading, was brought in along with with the Championship's current top scorer, Crystal Palace's Glenn Murray. Murray - who went on to score 25 goals in 58 games for Rochdale - scored against Bristol City last night to take his tally for the season to 28.

At 29 Murray is no spring chicken, but if he needs any motivation to convince himself that he is good enough for the top flight then he need look no further than his predecessors at Spotland.

Holt and Lambert have shown at Norwich and Southampton respectively that the guile and nous one needs to compete against lower league centre backs can stand you in good stead in the top flight.

Murray's intelligence and aerial ability make him a handful for any defender, and if Palace continue the way they are going then he will be joining the strong ex-Rochdale contingent in the Premier League before too long.

Joe Ridge



The 29-year-old has largely remained unheralded as Wilfred Zaha stole the plaudits and the limelight before securing a £15million summer move to Manchester United.

But it is Murray who is currently the country’s leading scorer, three goals ahead of Port Vale’s Tom Pope and seven clear of Manchester United star Robin van Persie.

His return has been enough to lift Murray into second place behind Messi, who recently scored his 301st goal for the Catalan giants, in the list of Europe's top marksmen.

Unbelievably the Championship boasts the top four second-tier European goalscorers, with Murray, Charlie Austin, Jordan Rhodes and Matej Vydra all bettering Marco Sansovini's 18 Serie B goals.

With his Argentinian rival netting a ridiculous 37 times in 24 La Liga games this season, Murray clearly has his work cut out in chasing the top spot.

But he will only have eyes on chasing promotion at Selhurst Park and earning himself a first chance in the top-flight.

Cumbria-born Murray began his career with non-League Workington Reds in 2002, scoring 25 times in 43 matches over a two-year spell.

He then moved to North Carolina to play for the Wilmington Hammerheads where he played just 14 times before returning to England with Barrow in 2004.

Murray scored nine in nine for the Northern Leagues side which earned him a move to Carlisle – already his fourth club despite being just 21.

After helping the Cumbrians to successive League titles in 2005 and 2006, the striker found himself surplus to requirements and was loaned out to Stockport County and Rochdale.

The latter were impressed enough with Murray to sign him on a permanent deal and he averaged a goal every two games at the club in an injury-hit spell.

A £300,000 move to Brighton beckoned in 2008 and Murray added a League One winners medal to his haul at the club.

Murray refused a new contract with the Seagulls after three years at the club and, to the dismay of their fans, moved to bitter rivals Crystal Palace.

Top of the shots: Europe's No 1 goalscorer Lionel Messi has been in phenomenal form for Barcelona

Sharp-shooters: Tables showing Europe's leading top-flight marksmen, Murray would sit second if he managed the same return in the Premier League



Former foe: Murray used to play for Palace's biggest rivals Brighton, who are also hunting promotion

Heading for victory: Murray played his part in Palace's League Cup win over Manchester United last season

He scored the winning goal as Palace knocked Manchester United out of the League Cup at Old Trafford in the quarter-finals last season.

Despite a return of just seven goals in his first 44 games his bosses at Selhurst Park kept faith in Murray.

Their trust has been rewarded this season with the hot-shot now holding the record for most goals ever scored before Christmas in the Championship.

And his impressive tally of 28 goals in 30 appearances has been vital as Palace look to chase down runaway leaders Cardiff.

VIDEO: Watch the striker's screamer against Middlesbrough...