With just over a third of an enthralling Premier League season left to play, the race for the golden boot is hotting up nicely. Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah currently leads the pack that includes last season’s winner, Erling Haaland, Newcastle United’s Swedish hitman Alexander Isak, and surprise package Chris Wood, who has fired Nottingham Forest into European contention this season.
In what has been one of the most unpredictable campaigns in history, the race could go down to the wire with all the clubs of the players in contention having lots to play for between now and the end of the season. For those looking towards the betting markets, the race will be a close-run thing. Gambling on sports with a credit card can guarantee you great odds at reputable online sportsbooks, but with the landscape of the league changing each matchday, those odds could also change quickly.
With the league obligations temporarily shelved for FA Cup action, we can take a quick breath and run through the main contenders and their chances of finishing the season as the top goalscorer.
Alexander Isak, Newcastle United
The Swede has shown flashes of his brilliance over the past seasons, even dating back to his spells at Borussia Dortmund and Real Sociedad, but Isak is finally showing world class ability consistently. The 25-year-old went on an unstoppable run of eleven goals in eight consecutive league matches, including a hattrick away at Ipswich Town.
Two consecutive home defeats to Bournemouth and Fulham have slightly stalled that goalscoring momentum, but with a Champions League place at stake, and no European competitions to distract Isak and Newcastle United, both player and club will be hoping for more goals to fire them up the goalscoring chart and league.
Best of the Rest
Behind the trio, Chris Wood is a surprise name. The Nottingham Forest striker has been the focal point of their attack this season and a big reason why Forest are mixing it with the best towards the top of the league. With an exceptional counter-attacking game under the guidance of Nuno Espirito Santo, Wood has combined superbly with Anthony Elanga, Morgan Gibbs-White, and Callum Hudson-Odoi to put himself in contention to win an unlikely golden boot.
Elsewhere, Cole Palmer (Chelsea) and Bryan Mbeumo (Brentford) have outside chances of climbing to the top of the charts. Chelsea’s talisman is perhaps beginning to feel the strain of the European Championships last summer, where he netted for England in a losing cause in the final. With only three goals in the last nine appearances, the early season form is fading slowly.
The same can be said of Mbeumo. The Cameroon international has also gone off the boil after eight goals in the first nine matches. However, with only domestic competitions to focus on for both (Palmer is not registered in the Europa Conference League squad), the pair can focus on firing their respective teams up the league.