Who will win the Premier League Golden Boot?

Add as preferred source on Google

With only ten games to go until the end of the 2016/17 Premier League campaign, it’s about that time of the year where the race to win the Golden Boot really begins to heat up.

Embed from Getty Images

Chelsea are currently sitting pretty at the top of the table, ten points clear of their closest rival Tottenham thanks to the services of Diego Costa, Eden Hazard and Pedro under Antonio Conte.

Spurs themselves are in a battle for Champions League spots, with only nine points separating them and Arsenal in fifth position – although the Gunners, led by Alexis Sanchez, have games in hand.

Sandwiched in between are both Manchester sides and Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, all in with a shout of Europe next season, whilst Everton are a surprise package in sixth place, still with high hopes.

With so many top quality forwards in the ranks of these sides, who is in the running to claim the Premier League elite award for top goal-scorer this season? Can Harry Kane reclaim his title?

The Boot Room dissects and assesses the three main candidates to win this year’s Golden Boot.

Romelu Lukaku – Everton

Currently leading the way is Everton’s Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku, sitting two goals clear of the rest of the competition on 21 goals after 28 games played for the Toffees’ so far this season.

http://gty.im/655135436

Everton – along with West Brom – have arguably been the biggest surprise package all season, going on an impressive run of only one loss in 12 matches to bring them level on points with Arsenal, and much of Everton’s progress this season has been down to their main-man Lukaku.

The 23-year-old has led the line superbly by himself all season, able to either create or provide goals with consistency, and he wrote himself into the record books at Goodison Park last weekend as his double ensured he is the first Everton player to score 20 goals in a single Premier League campaign.

It’s no surprise that Lukaku finally broke this record this season after impressing for a few years now, utilising all of the raw power in his 6ft 2in frame to become a defender’s worst nightmare. His deceptive pace and agility is also exceptional for someone of his size, able to accelerate away from a centre-back like you would expect someone like Marcus Rashford to do – he makes it look seamless and easy.

http://gty.im/654941484

He also has an even more clinical edge to his finishing this season, forcing the goalkeeper to work with 65% of his shots (43) this season, and he’s shown a selfless side to his play this year too; only Ross Barkley has more assists (7) than Lukaku (6), showing the Belgian has a willingness to provide too.

Despite all of the speculation over his Everton future after reports last week claimed Lukaku dismissed the option to sign a new deal, it showed no signs of burdening the young Belgian as he hit a quick-fire brace at the end of Saturday’s clash with lowly Hull City to secure all three points.

As the season comes to a close Everton fans will be concerned about the club’s ability to keep Lukaku over the summer – especially with big teams expected to show interest – and with only two years left on his Goodison Park contract, Ronald Koeman will be praying for a U-turn on a new deal.

For now, however, Everton will hope he can continue this immense season and, quite possibly, propel the club as they mount an outside challenge for a Champions League spot for next season.

Harry Kane – Tottenham

Following close behind Romelu Lukaku is England and Tottenham striker Harry Kane, who has burst into life after a slow start to the season and sits on 19 goals – six goals shy of his final mark last year.

Embed from Getty Images

Kane has hit top form since the turn of the calendar year, scoring 11 times in nine games which included hat-tricks against West Brom and Stoke City, and he has contributed hugely to his side’s unbeaten home form this campaign by finding the net 14 times in 12 White Hart Lane appearances.

The 23-year-old forward has continued his natural prowess around the penalty area this season, scoring the majority (15) of his goals with his right foot in displays of pure innovative brilliance.

Part of his sustained success in front of goal this season has come from his chemistry with fellow England star Dele Alli, who has helped himself to 14 goals in Tottenham’s season to date. The duo have showcased a solid understanding of each other’s play on the field this year, feeding off of each other and having an innate knowledge of the other person’s position – it has been refreshing to see.

Embed from Getty Images

However, the ankle injury he picked up during the FA Cup win over Millwall could leave him sidelined for a few more weeks yet at the least, and could yet prove to be catastrophic for both Kane’s chance of finishing the season as the league’s top goal-scorer and Spurs’ top-four ambitions as well.

With no time-frame set for his return to first-team action, the likes of Alli, Christian Eriksen, and Heung-Min Son now have the pressure on their shoulders to make up for the big loss of Kane’s goals.

Alexis Sanchez – Arsenal

If anybody thinks of Arsene Wenger’s side this season, the one name that will be on the lips of most people will be Alexis Sanchez, the South American playmaker who has been outstanding this year.

Embed from Getty Images

The fact that Arsenal are still in with a chance of finishing inside of the top-four is all down to Sanchez, and the Gunners should be indebted to his unnerving consistency all throughout the campaign.

Sanchez has notched 18 times in 27 appearances this season, being involved in more goals than anyone else in the league (18 goals, nine assists) – this number is just less than half of Arsenal’s total Premier League goals this season, highlighting just how pivotal an asset he has been to Wenger.

His pure pace and acceleration has brought him a huge amount of joy this year, and his natural ability to drift from a wide position into the middle of the pitch leaves defenders struggling to contain him; add his astute vision and footballing brain to this and he’s almost the dream attacker from a manager’s perspective.

The fact that the Chilean has ten more goals than the next Arsenal player tells a big story itself, and Arsenal’s over-reliance on him this season could prove costly over the upcoming weeks as – after picking up an ankle injury last weekend – Wenger could be forced to find a replacement in his squad.

Embed from Getty Images

Although Wenger has options, none are as potent and deadly in front of goal than Sanchez, and it says a lot that he has also created the most chances (64) this season; once he was withdrawn against West Brom, the Gunners visibly lacked a cutting edge and desire to run at a fairly slow defensive line.

If it transpires that the ankle knock is not as bad as first, though, Sanchez has a real chance of catching up with Lukaku at the top of the charts – and with Arsenal precariously placed, the Chilean will no doubt arrive back from international duty with his eyes on the top-four and a determination to get the job done.

Featured Image: All rights reserved by United News Fan Club.