The fight for the Golden Boot is heating up with only a few games left in the Premier League season.
Mohamed Salah has led the way for much of the season, having already matched his score from last season with time to spare owing to his performance in Liverpool’s triumph against Manchester United in April.
Mohamed Salah
Mohamed Salah, a two-time Premier League Golden Boot winner, finished second last season and is aiming for his third individual award in 2021-22 as he attempts to lead Liverpool to the title. Salah has averaged just under 24 Premier League goals per season over the past four seasons, and he will be looking to break that record this season
With four games remaining, Salah’s Liverpool has everything to play for in the title chase, trailing Manchester City by a solitary point. On the other hand, even seemingly insignificant games might be crucial in the race for individual honors.
Mohamed Salah may have slowed in the second half of the season after scoring 22 goals, but he started the season like a freight train. The Egyptian netted a hat-trick at Old Trafford to help Liverpool win 5-0, giving him 10 goals in his nine league outings.
By the turn of the year, he’d reached 15, and his career-high of 32 Premier League goals (from 2017-18) appeared within reach. After missing games for the Africa Cup of Nations, the former Roma man returned as a less productive player. However, a third Golden Boot is still a possibility after he shared the prize with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and others in his first season with the Reds.
Indeed, if Jurgen Klopp’s side is to catch Manchester City and win the title, they will need more Salah goals in the final few games, with the Reds facing Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa, Southampton, and Wolves.
Son Heung
Heung-min Last season, had his finest scoring season ever with Tottenham, netting 17 goals in 37 Premier League matches. The attacker has scored in double figures in each of the last five seasons and could be a strong contender for the Golden Boot as he looks to fill in for Harry Kane.
But because Son isn’t Tottenham’s regular penalty taker (he has just 19 goals this season), his high ranking on the list is all the more impressive. The South Korean international has six goals in his previous five games, including two in Leicester City’s win over the weekend, and is already having his best season in terms of league goals.
Spurs will play Liverpool, Arsenal, Burnley, and Norwich City in their final four Premier League games. Son scored in three of the four rematches against Burnley.
Son has found time to acknowledge other members of the squad, most recently Dejan Kulusevski, even as he continues to lead Spurs towards a possible top-four finish. He’s only been in the Premier League for three months, after all. Son told Stadium Astro in April, “He’s really loving it and playing with freedom.”
Cristiano Ronaldo
When Cristiano Ronaldo came to Manchester United in August, some questioned whether he would be able to make an immediate impact in his second Premier League spell. There are still doubts about United’s choice to sign the veteran, with Jamie Carragher expressing his displeasure with the signing, but Ronaldo’s goals have proved crucial for United.
Cristiano Ronaldo, who finished last season as Serie A’s leading scorer with 29 goals in 33 appearances, dispelled any fears that he might slow down upon his return to Old Trafford by scoring twice in his first game back. Manchester United fans were hoping that the Portuguese sensation could help the club qualify for the Champions League this season, but unfortunately, that was an impossibility.
Ronaldo has only scored one hat-trick in the Premier League. However, he already has two this season, both in 3-2 victories over Tottenham and Norwich, and his penalty against Brentford on Monday increased his league total to 18.
The fact that United just has two games left to play may be the biggest impediment to Ronaldo’s winning the Golden Boot. Even if 18 goals isn’t a tremendous figure by his own lofty standards, he can still reach 20 league goals for the 13th consecutive season if he delivers away to Brighton and Crystal Palace.
Here’s a list of 2021/2022 top 10 Premier League goal scorers:
- Mohamed Salah – (22) – Liverpool
- Son Heung – Min – (19) – Tottenham
- Cristiano Ronaldo – (18) – Manchester United
- Diogo Jota – (15) – Liverpool
- Sadio Mane – (14) – Liverpool
- Harry Kane – (13) – Tottenham
- Ivan Toney – (12) – Brentford
- Wilfried Zaha – (12) – Crystal Palace
- Kevin De Bruyne – (11) – Manchester City
- Bukayo Saka – (11) – Arsenal
Earlier in the season, Liverpool appeared on track to finish the season with all three podium spots. With Diogo Jota scoring 15 goals in the league, this is still a possibility.
Harry Kane, last season’s Golden Boot winner, has struggled this season due to a slow start from which he is only now recovering. The England captain didn’t start playing in the Premier League until October, but he currently has 13 goals in the league and 23 in all competitions, placing him ahead of teammate Son when cup goals are factored in.
