Premier League Golden Boot race hots up with surprise names battling Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah for coveted gong

Now in the business end of the campaign, WhoScored.com has turned its attention to the Premier League’s individual accolades.

At the time of writing, only five goals separate the division’s top eight scorers, with the race for the coveted Golden Boot, like the race for the title, appearing to go down to the wire.

All the usual contenders are in the mix, but with three-time winner Harry Kane leaving for Germany, there is room for new names in the race and there are some surprise contenders this year.

WhoScored.com has looked at the runners and assessed their performances and statistics behind their goal returns, as the battle to be crowned the Premier League’s top scorer really heats up.

8. Jarrod Bowen (West Ham) – 15 goals

This season marks the most prolific of Jarrod Bowen’s Premier League career, having recently scored his 15th goal of the campaign.

What’s also impressive is that he achieved this figure while playing in multiple positions, either operating from the right or leading the charge for the Hammers.

However, West Ham have a number of tough matches to finish the season, with games against Liverpool, Chelsea and then Man City on the final day of the season.

That means it will take a monumental effort from Bowen to close the current five-goal gap between him and top scorer Erling Haaland.

WhoScored rating: 7.09

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7. Heung-min Son (Tottenham) – 15 goals

Tottenham skipper Heung-min Son also has 15 goals for the campaign.

And while he’s unlikely to match his Golden Boot year of 2021/22 – where he tied for first with Mohamed Salah on the 23rd – it’s still been a great season for Son following the departure of Harry Kane .

That said, since his return from the Asian Cup, the 31-year-old has not looked the same in attack. Indeed, he has only scored three goals in his last nine outings, and only one in his last five.

The South Korean star looks exhausted after a long campaign, and that will weigh against the Spurs star.

WhoScored rating: 7.34

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6. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) – 17 goals

Another whose goal-scoring exploits took a hit due to international duty, Mohamed Salah missed a handful of matches due to Egypt’s participation in the Africa Cup of Nations, then returned injured in Liverpool.

Salah has still struck 17 times this season, and yet; Since the CAN and its absence, the Egyptian striker has only scored three goals in the league, including one from the penalty spot.

The 31-year-old is uneasy about returning to his domestic duties.

WhoScored rating: 7.36

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5. Dominic Solanke (Bournemouth) – 17 goals

A surprise inclusion in the Golden Boot competition, Dominic Solanke is enjoying an unforgettable campaign for Bournemouth.

The Cherries hitman scored his 17th league goal of the season in the recent 2-2 draw against Manchester United, which is a huge improvement on his six goals in 2022/23.

Solanke has taken the fourth most shots (94) in the Premier League this season, although a conversion rate of just 18.1% doesn’t make for the best reading.

The 26-year-old has also endured his barren runs, with the Bournemouth striker scoring just three goals in his last eight league outings.

But he has proven a threat to defenses and could well add to his numbers in the Cherries’ final six games – although they still have to face Arsenal at the Emirates.

WhoScored rating: 7.08

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4. Alexander Isak (Newcastle) – 17 goals

After enduring two separate spells out due to groin problems, Alexander Isak’s 17 goals are superb to say the least.

The Newcastle star has only started 21 of Newcastle’s 32 league matches, but has the joint best goal per 90 returns (0.9) in the division.

The comfort of home has certainly helped, with 12 of Isak’s 17 goals coming at St. James’ Park, but at his current goalscoring rate he would have been leading the race for the Golden Boot had he stayed fit throughout the campaign.

Among the 134 players who have taken at least 25 shots, Isak’s conversion rate of 28.3% is the third best and it wouldn’t be surprising if he quickly closed the three-goal gap that separates him from the lead of the Premier League goalscoring charts. graphics.

WhoScored rating: 7.07

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3. Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) – 19 goals

Ollie Watkins is set to write his name in the Aston Villa history books after scoring his 19th league goal of the season in Sunday’s 2-0 win at Arsenal.

He has already broken club legend Dwight Yorke’s record for direct goals in a single Premier League season with 29-19 goals and ten assists, while his tally also means he is currently tied with Christian Benteke as the top scorer in a single Premier League season. in the history of the Villa.

The 28-year-old is finishing the campaign on a high, but what really stands out is the way Watkins scores his goals.

Those around him rely on penalties to pad their numbers, but the Villa striker is yet to score from 12 yards in England’s top division this season, with Watkins boasting the ideal move to position himself as a goalscorer .

Despite not being on the penalty spot, the Villans hitman still scored 11 clear goal chances, ranking him sixth in England’s top tier.

WhoScored rating: 7.34

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2. Erling Haaland (Man City) – 20 goals

Last season’s Golden Boot winner has been on his own for weeks, but after scoring 36 league goals in his debut campaign, Erling Haaland has scored a more reserved 20 times in the Premier League this season.

Haaland ranks second in total shots (102) in the division and although he continues to take his chances, the Norwegian’s conversion rate of 19.6% is a drop from his first year in England.

The 23-year-old has been the subject of criticism in recent weeks, but with Man City now focusing on domestic duties following their midweek Champions League exit, Haaland could well come back to life for the final weeks.

If he collects the gong, he will become only the sixth player to win the Golden Boot for two consecutive seasons, joining an elite club alongside true legends of English football.

Alan Shearer, Michael Owen, Thierry Henry, Robin van Persie and Harry Kane are the only other men to have achieved this feat.

WhoScored rating: 7.35

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1. Cole Palmer (Chelsea) – 20 goals

Cole Palmer equalized with 20 league goals on Monday night as the Chelsea star scored four times in the Blues’ resounding 6-0 win over Everton.

Palmer is proving to be one of the signings of the season and the £42.5million man boasts the best xG outperformance (5.06) in the English top tier.

This return, however, requires greater context: 45% of Palmer’s goals, or nine out of 20, came from the penalty spot.

While the 21-year-old deserves praise for his superb campaign in west London, the high number of penalties awarded to Chelsea has helped to inflate his goal tally.

But the truth is he brings much more to the Blues than just putting the ball in the net, leading to suggestions he should be named Premier League Player of the Year.

Palmer has been one of the London club’s few shining lights this season in another struggling mid-table campaign, with his nine assists demonstrating his ability to link play together and his versatile creative talent in and around the box .

WhoScored rating: 7.44

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