Ronaldo’s Return: The Premier League Golden Boot race in the 2021/2022 Season
The Golden boot is one of the most coveted prizes in the premier league and winning is more challenging. Ronaldo joining the league may just have made the race more difficult to predict.
The Premier League is already underway, which subsequently means the Golden boot race is already underway. As usual, sports analysts, bookmakers, and punters had already picked their likely winners for the highly coveted Prize before everything turned upside down with Cristiano Ronaldo’s arrival.
Okay, Ronaldo does not exactly need any introduction as his pedigree and legacy as a serial scorer speaks for him. And now that he is in the premier league with just three games short, one would expect that he will likely put up a fight. Actually, given his records and seamless adaptability, he is likely to put up a good fight that may see him end up among the top three with a really good chance of winning.
However, it is essential to note that the world of the premier league does not revolve around Ronaldo. The league has sustained its reputation as the most competitive in Europe, and it would be ridiculous for Ronaldo, who had been away for over 12 years, to trounce young and hungry blood. These players include Harry Kane, Mohamed Salah, and a host of other goal poachers looking to stake a claim in the biggest stage.
Whichever way you look at it, it is obvious the league is about to turn on its head, and knowing that ends up as the top scorer has never been trickier. The good thing with this uncertainty, however, is that the odds only get better. Many bettors, including online sports betting Philippines, have continued to raise the odds, and getting it right as a punter can only bring joy.
The Unpredictability of the EPL Golden Boot
Usually, with other leagues, the strikers always end up with more joy, as they are the major players in the scorers in their respective league charts. The same cannot be said of the EPL. The past 5 to 6 years have shown that the strikers are not the only ones with eyes for goals.
There have been various top 3 winners for the past few years, and these include names like Mohammed Salah, Pierrick Aubameyang, Sadio Mane, Raheem Sterling, Bruno Fernandez, Eden Hazard, and Marcus Rashford.
Clearly, not all of these players are strikers, which show how tricky it is to pick a name for the Golden boot award. With Ronaldo’s arrival, there have been few pundits rooting for him to clinch the highest goal scorer but sticking to just the fact that it is Ronaldo. Hence the verdict cannot be more fallacious.
There are tons of strikers, wingers, and midfielders ready to take the fight to Ronaldo, and it will be safe to carry out thorough research before making any decision. This news article will consider some of the top names likely to win the Premier League golden boot to give you a clear idea of where to put your money.
Evelyn Balyton is an enthusiastic and avid football lover who has dedicated many years to football and sports as an expert and punter. She is a lovely professional that has built a reputation for clean-cut predictions.
Top Six Contenders for the EPL Golden Boot
The top picks include:
- Son Heung-Min
- Sadio Mane
- Mohamed Salah
- Romelu Lukaku
- Cristiano Ronaldo
- Harry Kane
- Son Heung-Min
Son Heung-min has started the season quite brightly, and if he continues to maintain his form, which he has the capacity to do, he will be the name on everybody’s lips. Son has never won the Golden Boot, though, and he will need to dig deep to be at the top.
- Sadio Mane
Sadio Mane has won the Golden Boot before, and he can do it again, so counting him out can just turn out to be a grave mistake. He is a proven scorer with good skills and a ferocious shot. Liverpool was consistently criticized last season for their reluctance to shoot from outside the box, and if that is to change this season, then Mane will be the man to watch out for. 
- Mohamed Salah
Dubbed the Egyptian Messi and Liverpool main talisman, Salah remains a top contender for the golden boot. The instinctive goal scoring makes one of the deadly Liverpool front three, and while they didn’t meet up to expectation last season. They seem to be looking for redemption, and Salah will no doubt be looking to put the ball into the net as often as he can.
- Romelu Lukaku
Strong, Big, Brutal, and a left-footer. That is the perfect description for Lukaku, and it will be hard to bet against this man for the golden boot award. Also, he is extra motivated as he sort of has something to prove to Manchester United that they made a mistake offloading him while keeping players that didn’t reach his numbers in the same position.
- Cristiano Ronaldo
The moment Ronaldo signed for Manchester United, Former United player, Michael Owen while speaking with BBC Radio 5, stated that he was backing the 36-year-old to hit 20 goals by the end of the season. If Ronaldo performs as Owen and most EPL lovers believe, he is undoubtedly among the favorites to be the top scorer.
However, there is no need to get too ahead in the Premier League, and Ronaldo is 36. Things could not go as planned, even though such has never really happened with the Portuguese.
- Harry Kane
It is only appropriate to favor the young over the old, and it becomes more obvious if the young is a 24-year-old Red Hot, Harry Kane. Kane has shown for the past few years that he is the man to beat this season. He may not be among the top four right now, but as the season progresses, he will certainly continue to climb up the chart.
It won’t be surprising to see Harry Kane clinch the Golden Boot at the end of the season. Despite stiff competition, he won it three out of five times in the last five years, and Ronaldo’s introduction may not be much of a difference.
Conclusion
The EPL season seems set for many twists, and Manchester City may not find it easy to win the league, just as Harry Kane and Cristiano Ronaldo will not have a free ride dominating the Golden Boot chart.
In the end, it would clearly be a dog race, and it won’t be surprising to see any of Salah, Mane, Lukaku take the fight on to the duo.
