England international and former Tottenham Hotspur forward Harry Kane scored a massive 30 goals last year in the 2022/23 season and still finished six goals behind the eventual Golden Boot winner- Erling Haaland, who scored an astounding 36 goals in 35 games for Manchester City last season.
Erling Haaland’s superb run of form made last season’s top-scorer battle one of the most boring Golden Boot races in recent Premier League history with the Norwegian leading the goalscoring charts from start to finish.
Haaland’s record-breaking 2022/23 season
Last season, Newcastle United’s Andy Cole and Blackburn Rover’s Alan Shearer, who each bagged 34 goals during the 42-game seasons of the past, had to say goodbye to their highest number of goals scored in a season record as Erling Haaland toppled them over. No one’s ever scored more goals in a 38-game Premier League season than Haaland’s 36 strikes in 35 games last season.
Haaland managed to stack up 20 goals in just 7 games of the Premier League season last year, faster than any other player in the league’s history. The previous record, by comparison, was Kevin Phillips of Sunderland getting 20 goals in 21 games. Erling Haaland also managed to upstage Kevin Phillp’s record of the most number of goals in a debut season when he scored his 31st goal of the season versus Leicester City on April 15, 2023.
Also Read: English Premier League Latest Standings after Gameweek 14
Alan Shearer holds the record for most number of goal involvements (goals + assists) in the Premier League, which is 47 over 42 games, while Thierry Henry holds the 38-game record with 44 goal involvements and Erling Haaland nearly broke their record last season. Haaland could’ve easily found his way to 40 goals in the Premier League if Manchester City wasn’t focused on keeping him rested and prepared for other big games in other competitions.
With Harry Kane departing to the Bundesliga where he now plays for German giants Bayern Munich, and Erling Haaland starting this season in red-hot scoring form again, it will be interesting to see which player gives the Norwegian a run for his money in the race to win the Premier League Golden Boot this year. Here are the top scorers from this 2023/24 season so far:
1. Erling Haaland | Manchester City | 14 goals
The Norwegian striker ended last season as the league’s Top Scorer after registering four separate hat-tricks and making an absolute mockery of naysayers who said he would need time to acclimatize to playing football in England last season. Haaland has started this season in a similar vein of form, already accumulating 14 goals after match week 14 of the Premier League.
The Norse colossus has shown no signs of slowing down the goals in the 2023-24 campaign and unless he gets hit with an unfortunate injury or manager Pep Guardiola decides to drop him to the bench for an extended period, Haaland is likely to be the Premier League’s leading hitman this year.
2. Mohamed Salah | Liverpool | 10 goals
31-year-old Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah managed an impressive tally of 19 goals last season despite Liverpool’s sluggish form. Although the Egyptian Messi did not reach his customary heights of brilliance last year, he has started this season in fine form with 10 goals after round 14 of the Premier League.
3. Son Heung-Min | Tottenham Hotspur | 9 goals
Tottenham Hotspur forward Son Heung-Min shared the Golden Boot with Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah when he scored 23 goals in the 2021/22 season. However, he failed to reach the same heights last season, registering just 10 goals, and six assists in an underwhelming campaign. Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou will be hoping his expansive style of football can once again get the best out of the South Korean forward, who has scored 9 goals already this season.
4. Jarrod Bowen | West Ham United | 8 goals
Conference League hero, West Ham United forward Jarrod Bowen is a handful for defenders to deal with in the final third. A regular goal-scorer and goal-creator, Bowen manages to give his team a chance in attacking transitions, and his scintillating displays were a key reason why West Ham United won their first European title since 1965 in the form of Europa Conference League last year. Bowen has 8 goals for the season so far.
5. Ollie Watkins | Aston Villa | 8 goals
England international and Aston Villa forward Ollie Watkins has consistently impressed for club and country over the past three seasons. Watkins has been a key figure in Villa’s revival under manager Unai Emery and he scored 15 goals in the Premier League last season that helped the Villains qualify for the Europa League. Ollie already has 8 goals registered to his name this season.
Top Assist Providers After GW 14
- Pedro Neto | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 7 assists
- Kieran Trippier | Newcastle United | 7 assists
- Mohamed Salah | Liverpool | 6 assists
- Ollie Watkins | Aston Villa | 6 assists
- Julián Álvarez | Manchester City | 5 assists