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“Salah still the man to beat for Golden Boot” – Would you back against the Liverpool Striker?

Published

4 years ago

12th September 2019

With the Premier League underway again, fans are looking at clues as to who will take the title and also who is a likely Golden Boot winner.

Last year showed how difficult it is to pick a winner when the Golden Boot for top scorer was shared three ways.

The prolific Liverpool pair Mo Salah and Sadio Mane bagged 22 goals each and were joined on that mark by Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero was just one goal shy of joining the leading triumvirate. Significantly, he became only the second player in the history of the Premiership to score 20 goals or more in five consecutive seasons after Arsenal legend Thierry Henry.

The Argentianian is off to a flier this season, topping the charts with six goals at a staggering strike rate of a goal every 45 minutes.

He came into the season with a strike rate of 0.70 goals per game from 230 appearances. This compares with Salah’s 0.65 goals per game, suggesting the two will be close at the end of the season.

Spur’s skipper Harry Kane won the Golden Boot in 2016 and 2017 but has been hampered by injury over the past two seasons. However, he still boasts a strike rate of 0.69, and cannot be ruled out if he stays fit this season.

Kane was the bookies’ favourite at the start of the campaign, generally available at 4-1 ahead of Salah 11-2 and Aguero 6-1.

One of the surprises of last season was the emergence of Raheem Stirling as a genuine goal threat under the tutelage of City manager Pep Guardiola, notching 17 goals in the Premiership.

One newcomer on this year’s provisional list is promoted Norwich City’s Teemu Pukki. The Finn is off to a flyer with five goals from four games including a hat-trick.

Given that his club are expected to struggle, he is unlikely to challenge the more experienced marksmen.

Meanwhile Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial are likely to get more opportunities and are already off the mark, along with Chelsea’s Tammy Abraham.