Lionel Messi was on the scoresheet for the sixth La Liga game in a row on Sunday as Barcelona beat Leganes 3-1 at the Camp Nou.
As a result the Argentinian moved on to 18 goals for the campaign and kept hold of top spot in the race for the 2018-19 Golden Shoe. Kylian Mbappe is now hot on his heels, though, after the Frenchman scored a hat-trick in Paris Saint-Germain’s 9-0 drubbing of Guingamp.
Meanwhile, Mohamed Salah’s double in Liverpool’s 4-3 win against Crystal Palace moved him on to 16 league goals for the campaign.
Here are the latest standings in the battle for the Golden Shoe:
1. Lionel Messi, Barcelona: 18 x 2.0 difficulty factor = 36.0
2. Kylian Mbappe, Paris Sain-Germain: 17 x 2.0 = 34.0
3. Mohamed Salah, Liverpool: 16 x 2.0 = 32.0
4. Liliu, Kalju: 31 goals x 1.0 = 31.0 points
T5. Mbaye Diagne, Kasimpasa: 20 x 1.5 = 30.0
T5. Zakaria Beglarishvili, Flora: 30 x 1.0 = 30.0
T5. Luis Suarez, Barcelona: 15 x 2.0 = 30.0
T5. Paulinho, Hacken: 20 x 1.5 = 30.0
9. Patrick Hoban, Dundalk: 29 x 1.0 = 29.0
T10. Edinson Cavani, Paris Saint-Germain: 14 x 2.0 = 28.0
T10. Cristiano Ronaldo, Juventus: 14 x 2.0 = 28.0
T10. Fabio Quagliarella, Sampdoria: 14 x 2.0 = 28.0
T10. Duvan Zapata, Atalanta: 14 x 2.0 = 28.0
T10. Harry Kane, Tottenham Hotspur: 14 x 2.0 = 28.0
T10. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Arsenal: 14 x 2.0 = 28.0
Messi, 31, started on the bench on Sunday, but he replaced Carles Alena with 26 minutes to go when the score was 1-1.
He inevitably proved the difference-maker. Luis Suarez netted the second goal from close range after Leganes goalkeeper Pichu had been unable to hold Messi’s fantastic shot from outside the box.
And the five-time Ballon d’Or winner then got a goal of his own in stoppage time as he finished off a slick move with a stinging right-foot finish.
Mbappe, 20, has now already surpassed his best return for a league season, previously the 15 he scored in 2016-17 when he helped Monaco win the title.
If he continues to score at the same rate to the end of the season he could well overhaul Messi at the top of the standings.
As could Salah, who now has 16 for the season after his crucial double against Palace.
Liverpool were behind just after the half hour against the south London side and were then pegged back from 2-1 ahead to 2-2 in the 65th minute.
Salah scored both the equaliser just after half-time and the 75th-minute goal to put the Reds back ahead, playing the key role in ensuring Liverpool kept their four-point lead at the top of the Premier League.