Premier League 19/20: Top 5 contenders for the Golden Boot

Goalscorers are the undisputed darlings of football. That's easy to understand, after all, the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson once famously said, "Attack wins you games...".

Last time out, the run for the Premier League golden boot was an edge of your seat race, as the likes of Sergio Aguero, Sadio Mane, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and the irrepressible Mohamed Salah were neck and neck as they hurtled towards the finish line.

Eventually, it was a photo finish, and we had an unprecedented 3 players share the accolade of Premier League top scorer. Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang finished on 22 goals each, just inching past Sergio 'Kun' Aguero, who finished on 21 goals.

Our favourite hitmen are warming up for another titanic battle, and most will be reprising roles for their clubs. In this article, we list strikers who are likely to score their way to the top of the mountain during the upcoming season.

---

#5 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal)

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (l) receives his golden boot last season

The Gabonese international is no stranger to the top scorer accolade. In 2017, he was the Bundesliga's top scorer with 31 goals - the first time the 30 goal mark has been breached in the decades since Dieter Muller's 34 goals in 1977.

The former African Footballer of the Year scored 141 goals in 213 games for Borussia Dortmund before joining The Arsenal during the winter of 2018, for a reported fee of £56 million.

In his first full season for Arsenal, he finished joint top scorer with Liverpool's Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah. He missed a last-minute penalty against Spurs away from home last season, throwing away much-needed points, and in retrospect, the goal that would have since him pip Mane and Salah to the golden boot.

Arsenal is having a quiet summer in the market so far, and sceptics foretell a grim season ahead for the Gunners, however, Auba will certainly be looking for a repeat of last season's feat as he helps his club in the battle for top 4.

Also check out: Premier League Premier League Table Champions League Schedule

#4 Jamie Vardy (Leicester City)

Leicester City's Jamie Vardy

Jamie Vardy was undoubtedly one of Leicester City's star performers during their unprecedented 2016 PL triumph.

Jamie Vardy was a late bloomer, as it wasn't until 2012 before he joined a professional team, joining Leicester City for a non-league record of £1 million plus add ons.

In the 2015-16 season, Vardy set the PL alight, scoring in 11 consecutive games - a record, and was named the Barclays Premier League Player of the Season.

Following Leicester's incredible season, Vardy turned down a chance to join Arsenal, despite Arsenal triggering his release clause. He cited footballing reasons, such as Arsene Wenger's possession-based tactics.

He struggled for form under erstwhile Leicester City manager, Claude Puel, as the gaffer's tactics were deemed 'conservative' by critics. Vardy, however, had a resurgence under new manager, Brendan Rodgers, finishing 5th on the scorer chart (18 goals), just four goals behind the top scorers.

Under Brendan Rodgers' stewardship, and with Ayoze Perez & Youri Tielemans joining a star cast of midfielders, Jamie Vardy is likely to give the league's leading lights a run for their money.

#3 Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)

Sergio Aguero celebrates Man City's PL triumph

Kun Aguero is a striker who needs no introduction. Since joining Manchester City from Atletico Madrid in 2011, he has scored a staggering 231 goals in 338 games, including a title-winning goal against QPR in his debut season.

Despite an infamous injury record, Kun has had a stellar career so far in the blue half of Manchester. He has a plethora of club records such as record PL scorer (164 goals), most goals in all competitions, most goals in European competition, etc.

He has also bagged 9 trophies for Man City so far, including 4 PL titles. In 2015, he finished as the Premier League's top scorer on 26 goals.

Last time out, he narrowly missed out on the top scorer gong. He will be looking to improve on the 21 goals he scored last season.

Pep Guardiola plays a very positive brand of football, and as long as he's fighting fit, Kun Aguero is sure to be among the goals.

#2 Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur)

Harry Kane - Tottenham Hotspur's talisman

After enduring loan spells all over England early on, Harry Kane finally burst onto the scene for Spurs in 2015-16, finishing as the league's top scorer. The following season, he proved he wasn't a one-season wonder by once again finishing as the league's top scorer with 29 goals.

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah pipped Kane to the golden boot in 2018 via 32 goals. Kane finished on 30 goals that year, his best tally so far.

'Hurrikane' Harry - as he's fondly called, recently got the footballing world buzzing due to a sensational strike against Juventus in a pre-season friendly. He scored from the centre circle.

That was certainly a statement of intent.

The Spurs hitman will be looking to finish once again as the PL top scorer. Last season, he finished with an unimpressive (by his standards) 17 goals. His season was blighted by a recurring ankle injury, and he could only watch for long periods as Mohamed Salah and co galloped away with the golden boot.

Mauricio Pochettino's team play a very exciting brand of football, and with the likes of Christian Eriksen, Dele Alli, Heung-Min Son, Eric Dier, etc, stringing the passes, Harry Kane will undoubtedly be among the goals once again.

#1 Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)

Mohamed Salah, aka the Egyptian King

Many moons have passed since Mohamed Salah's ill-fated first spell in the Premier League. The current African Footballer of the year is regarded as one of the top players in the world nowadays.

After a successful spell in the Serie A for AS Roma, Mohamed Salah joined Liverpool for a then club-record fee of £36.9 million. He went on to have a glittering personal season, scoring a staggering 32 goals (a 38 game Premier League season record) for the golden boot.

He ended up being named the PFA Player's Player of the Year, PFA Fan's Player of the Year, FWA Footballer of the Year, and he also came 3rd in the FIFA Best Player award for 2018.

Last season wasn't as magical for him as the previous. But still, he ended up as the joint Premier League top scorer alongside his teammate Sadio Mane and Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. He also led Liverpool to a 6th Champions League gong.

Mohamed Salah will be undoubtedly in the race for the PL golden boot next year as he leads Liverpool's charge for the elusive Premier League trophy.