Mohamed Salah emerged as a world-class talent last season, pipping Harry Kane for the Premier League Golden Boot in 17/18. He helped Egypt reach the World Cup, and also Liverpool makes the top four.
The Premier League has many great strikers in it, such as the aforementioned Salah and Kane, but Aubameyang, Lukaku, Aguero, his Liverpool teammate Firmino, Lacazette, Sterling, etc. are all top quality forwards in their own rights.
It’s very simple logic, but goals win games. And as strikers exist to score goals, then it stands to reason their importance and value.
But it’s also a matter of personal and professional pride, as much as individual quality, in winning such an accolade. Whoever wins it in the coming season will feature amongst greats like Henry, Shearer, van Nistelrooy, Suarez, and Kane.
Last season saw the emergence of Mohamed Salah as a prime attacking threat, and it’s interesting to see if he can continue.
However, Harry Kane is still at large, and he is buoyed by winning the World Cup Golden Boot. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has fit in well at Arsenal, and will be a prime factor in this year’s Golden Boot race.
Moreover, Aguero started this season’s account well with two goals in the 2018 Community Shield. Lukaku is strong, and we may see comparatively unlikely winners. Sanchez was very sharp at Arsenal but has been muted at Man United. Can he re-discover his goal-scoring touch? Vardy got almost 20 PL goals last season, and whilst not getting younger, will he get more goals? Could a wide forward, akin to Salah, win it? Or will it just be the domain of strikers only?
Who is to say? What is telling is that there is plenty of competition for the top prize, and we’ll see both favorites and a few more surprises for the top crown.
Salah emerged from Chelsea as an underutilized player, but came in with a bang to win the prize last season.
Some are saying he is just a one season wonder, which is disrespectful in my mind. However, with the general high of Liverpool at the moment, and Klopp’s attacking style, it seems that he will get plenty of opportunities to score goals and retain his title. Firmino and Mane remain as prime attacking threats, and he’s in a good position to retain his title.
If Liverpool are to win their first league title since 1990, and with the big signings made thus far, Salah needs to be firing regularly to ensure they challenge at least.
If not Salah, then Harry Kane could be a great contender for the Premier League Golden Boot. Kane has won it twice before, in 15/16 and 16/17 respectively.
He also is the World Cup Golden Boot winner, having emulated the achievement of former Spurs striker no less Gary Lineker. He is the last English player since Lineker to attain this feat.
This season is an interesting one for Spurs. They have not to date signed anybody, though their new ground can be a boon and much as a hindrance. It could take them time to get familiar with their new surroundings, or simply being at a new ground could bolster them.
Either way, Kane needs to score regularly, as the top four dynamic has altered. City are the strongest, whilst their rivals Arsenal are looking to change and improve. Chelsea has issues, though they are still rivals for top four, whilst Liverpool have bought well. United are still viable, with many top players.
Kane is in a prime position to regain the title, largely since he’s done it before, and must be high in confidence due to the WC Golden Boot triumph. Surely if he were up for sale, he would command £200m at the least, and possibly a world record transfer fee. If Tottenham is to sustain its top four place, Harry Kane’s scoring prowess must be maximised to its fullest.
