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Image by Kelvin Stuttard from Pixabay
With half of the season already gone in the English Premier League, we’re none the wiser as to who will claim the title or who will be relegated to the Championship. Indeed, the unpredictability of this year’s table has been one of the most enjoyable aspects of the competition this time around, alongside the free-scoring nature of the campaign.
Whether it’s a lack of fans putting less pressure on strikers or fixture congestion causing tired legs among defenders, this season is on track to break goal-scoring records in the competition since it began in 1992/93. But who will win be crowned as the division’s top scorer come the season’s end? Here’s a look at the leading candidates.
Mohammed Salah
As a two-time winner of the accolade (in 2017/18 and 2018/19), we all know that Mo Salah has the pedigree to become top scorer for a third time this year. While Liverpool have stuttered in recent weeks, it would be a brave man who would bet against them and Salah to return to winning (and scoring!) ways before too long.
Harry Kane
Another man who has won the Golden Boot twice already in the Premiership, Harry Kane is looking to become only the third person behind Alan Shearer and Thierry Henry to claim the prize a third time. While his team have been accused of conservative tactics at times, Kane has been anything but, scoring 12 goals and setting up 11 more already this season.
Son Heung-Min
It’s no surprise that Kane’s South Korean teammate is being tipped by betting sites like this one to outshine his strike partner in 20/21. With Kane often dropping back into a quarterback role and manager Jose Mourinho favouring a counterattack-based style of play, Son’s blistering pace is in pole position to take advantage.
Jamie Vardy
Last season’s top scorer Jamie Vardy is now 34 years old – but much like a fine wine, the veteran attacker only seems to get better with age. Unfortunately, his campaign has been disrupted by injury this season and his manager Brendan Rodgers recently confirmed he missed a few games to have a hernia operation, but if he comes back fit and firing, he’ll be well in the mix.
Bruno Fernandes
The transformative effect that this Portuguese midfield maestro has had on Manchester United’s fortunes has been nothing short of remarkable, having dragged them from mid-table obscurity to top of the league in the space of a year. Though much of his goals come from the penalty spot, he’s not shy of a long-range scorcher, either.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin
After a very encouraging season last time around, Dominic Calvert-Lewin came racing out of blocks in 20/21, bagging an incredible 10 goals in his first nine games. Unfortunately, the England international has only added a solitary strike to that tally in the eight games since, perhaps largely due to the absence of midfield playmaker James Rodriguez. But once the Colombian returns, there’s no limit to what Calvert-Lewin and Everton can achieve this year.
