Success in the Premier League depends on any number of factors, solid defence, team spirit, a canny manager and, more often than not, an owner willing to splash the cash.
And when the spending starts the main targets are invariably strikers, because, as everyone in the game knows, to succeed at any level in the Premier League you need a dependable goal scorer. In the bottom half of the table that means churning out double figures to help your club survive while, in the upper reaches, the top strikers are aiming for 20 or more.
So before the 2021/22 campaign gets underway, let’s take one more look at the top-scoring strikers from the season just past.
Harry Kane: Spurs
Harry Kane won the Golden Boot for the third time last term, though that might be his last contribution for Tottenham Hotspur. The England captain was prolific as ever, scoring 23 goals and making 14 assists in a lethal combination with another of our top five, Heung-Min Son.
The early Premier League 2021 betting odds pitch Spurs as fifth favourites alongside Leicester City, but I’m not sure a battle between fifth and sixth place is where Kane sees himself next season. Tottenham’s new head coach Nuno has a mammoth job on his hands and he may wonder whether his task may be made clearer if his main striker were to leave. Kane said in an interview, back in May, that he would decide his future after the Euros had concluded and speculation has mounted since. Manchester City are rumoured to be ready to smash the Premier League transfer record to bring the striker to the Etihad, but Spurs’ owners have become irritated by the player’s stance and are likely to dig their heels in.
It could be an interesting couple of weeks…
Mo Salah: Liverpool
Liverpool’s prolific Egyptian Mo Salah came very close to pipping Kane to the post. After a relatively slow start to the season Salah hit form with ruthless consistency and ended up with 22 goals and five assists. While Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane struggled to hit the heights of Liverpool’s 2020 Premier League winning form, Salah continued to carry the fight.
Here at SBOTOP we place Liverpool as third favourites to win the 2021/22 title and if they are to do so then Salah will surely be at, or near, the top of the scoring charts yet again.
Patrick Bamford: Leeds United
Surely the surprise package of the 2020/21 season was Leeds’ centre forward Patrick Bamford, who contributed a magnificent 17 goals and seven assists as the West Yorkshire giants finished ninth in their first season back in the top flight. The 27-year-old striker deserved his success after suffering years of frustration as a Chelsea player loaned out to six clubs. He was successful in the Championship with Middlesboro and then Leeds United, but few neutrals expected him to perform so well in the Premier League.
He scored a stunning hat-trick in Leeds’ 3-0 win over Aston Villa, showcasing all his skills, and only England’s plentiful supply of strikers kept Bamford out of the Euro 2020 squad.
Leeds head coach Marcelo Bielsa is looking to strengthen in the striking department but Bamford will keep his place if he continues to do the business.
Heung-Min Son: Spurs
With 17 goals and ten assists Son was part of the most productive strike pairing in the league last season and Spurs fans will be delighted to learn that he has backed the new manager by signing a new contract extension.
The South Korean sharpshooter has the highest shot accuracy of these five strikers, at 68 per cent, and he has bagged 70 goals in 197 appearances for the Whites. With Kane and Son in the side it’s hard to fathom just why Spurs’ Premier League 2021 results were so inconsistent last season, but whether the partnership is to be renewed is very much in doubt.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin: Everton
16 goals made this a real breakthrough season for the Toffees’ 24-year-old striker who certainly came of age. Since signing in 2016 Dominic Calvert-Lewin had to be patient but last season he emerged as one of the best headers in the business, winning aerial duels against virtually any defender. His ability to time his runs to beat the offside trap gave him plenty of chances and he proved himself to be a strong and clever finisher. His form earned him an England place and he has already scored four goals for the Three Lions.
So that’s the list of top strikers for 2020/21, but we have to give credit to a midfielder too. In amongst these five hot shots, Manchester United’s midfield ace Bruno Fernandes was the third highest scorer with 18 goals and 12 assists, a prolific return that took the Red Devils to second place.
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
