For much of last season, it looked like Mohamed Salah would win the Golden Boot at a canter. But<\/p>\n
the Liverpool forward\u2019s drop-off in form after the Africa Cup of Nations opened the door to Son<\/p>\n
Heung-min, who grasped the opportunity with both hands. The Tottenham Hotspur star\u2019s goal on<\/p>\n
the final day of the campaign saw him draw level with Salah and earn a share of the Premier<\/p>\n
League\u2019s top scorer prize.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Salah and Son each scored 23 times last term. For only the second time in the last 11 campaigns,<\/p>\n
there were just two players who broke the 20-goal mark. The way things are shaping up for next<\/p>\n
season, we could see several forwards reach that milestone.<\/p>\n
Salah confirmed his intention to stay at Anfield before the Champions League final in May. His future<\/p>\n
beyond next season is unknown, with the Egypt international out of contract in 2023. But for as long<\/p>\n
as he is at Liverpool, Salah will score goals. An average of 23.6 per Premier League season with<\/p>\n
Jurgen Klopp\u2019s side speaks for itself.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
It will be interesting, though, to see how the arrival of Darwin Nunez changes the dynamic of the<\/p>\n
Liverpool attack. For much of Klopp\u2019s tenure Roberto Firmino was deployed through the middle. The<\/p>\n
Brazilian is more of a facilitator than a finisher. The structure of the front three was designed to<\/p>\n
fashion opportunities for the two wide players cutting in, Sadio Mane and Salah.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The exit of Mane and the signing of Nunez means the Liverpool forward line will not operate in<\/p>\n
exactly the same way next term. The former Benfica striker scored 34 goals in all competitions in<\/p>\n
2021\/22, and he could rival Salah for the title of Liverpool \u2013 and Premier League \u2013 top scorer.<\/p>\n
Although Manchester City scored more goals than Liverpool last season, none of their individuals<\/p>\n
was able to rival Salah and Son for the Golden Boot. Kevin De Bruyne was their chief goal-getter with<\/p>\n
15, while only Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez also got into double figures.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Barring a lengthy injury lay-off, it would be a huge surprise if Erling Haaland did not end next season<\/p>\n
as City\u2019s top scorer. The Norway international has a phenomenal track record in the Bundesliga,<\/p>\n
where he notched 62 goals in 67 games for Borussia Dortmund. Haaland was wanted by virtually<\/p>\n
every big club in Europe, so it speaks volumes that City were able to win the race for his signature.<\/p>\n
The 21-year-old will gobble up many of the chances his new team-mates create for him in 2022\/23.<\/p>\n
The battle for the Golden Boot is unlikely to be a three-horse race between players from Manchester<\/p>\n
City and Liverpool, though. As things stand Tottenham seem to be the likeliest challengers to that<\/p>\n
duopoly at the top of the division, and in Son and Harry Kane they possess two players who are more<\/p>\n
than capable of scoring more goals than anyone else in the division.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Do not write off Cristiano Ronaldo either. The Portugal international is in the autumn of his career,<\/p>\n
but he still knows where the goal is. Even in a catastrophic campaign for Manchester United last<\/p>\n
time out, Ronaldo made the net bulge 18 times in the Premier League.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
As for Chelsea, Romelu Lukaku might be on his way back to Inter but Raheem Sterling could contend<\/p>\n
for the prize if he completes his switch from the Etihad Stadium. With a bit of luck perhaps Gabriel<\/p>\n
Jesus could do the same at Arsenal.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
One thing is for sure: the Premier League does not lack for top-class forwards, and the race for the<\/p>\n
Golden Boot could be quite the spectacle in the upcoming campaign.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
For much of last season, it looked like Mohamed Salah would win the Golden Boot at a canter. But the Liverpool forward\u2019s drop-off in form after the Africa Cup of Nations opened the door to Son Heung-min, who grasped the opportunity with both hands.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[643],"tags":[272],"class_list":["post-50199","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sport","tag-featurehome"],"yoast_head":"\n