The Premier League Golden Boot is an annual football award bestowed to the leading goalscorer in the Premier League.

Since the inception of the Premier League in 1992, there have been 26 different players to win the Premier League Golden Boot in the last three decades.

Teddy Sheringham won the inaugural Premier League Golden Boot in 1993. Playing for Tottenham Hotspur, the former England forward netted 22 goals in 41 games to bag the prestigious award.

Later in 1994, Newcastle United’s Andy Cole won the Premier League Golden Boot after he scored 34 goals in 40 games that season.

Alan Shearer then became the first player to win the award in three consecutive seasons. He claimed the Premier League Golden Boot in 1994-95, 1995-96 and 1996-97 seasons.

In 1999, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Dwight Yorke were the first non-English and non-European winners, respectively, when they shared the award with Michael Owen.

Legendary Arsenal striker Thierry Henry has the most Premier League Golden Boot awards. He won the award on four occasions in 2001-02, 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06.

Thierry Henry also became the second player after Alan Shearer to win the award in three successive seasons.

Meanwhile, Manchester City’s Erling Haaland scripted history as he scored the most goals to win the Premier League Golden Boot.

In the 2022-23 season, Erling Haaland won the award after he scored 36 goals in just 35 matches. Haaland once again bagged the award in the 2023-24 season with 27 goals in 31 games.

Former Chelsea forward Nicolas Anelka netted the fewest goals to bag the Golden Boot outright with 19 goals in 2008-09.

However, the all-time record for lowest number of goals scored to be presented the award is 18 goals, which was achieved during the 1997-98 and 1998-99 seasons.

Chris Sutton, Dion Dublin and Michael Owen shared the award with 18 goals in 1998, while the same thing was repeated by Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Dwight Yorke and Michael Owen in 1999.

Get Premier League Golden Boot winners list.

Premier League Golden Boot winners list

Season	Player	Club	Goals
1992-93	Teddy Sheringham	Tottenham Hotspur	22
1993-94	Andy Cole	Newcastle United	34
1994-95	Alan Shearer	Blackburn Rovers	34
1995-96	Alan Shearer	Blackburn Rovers	31
1996-97	Alan Shearer	Newcastle United	25
1997-98	Chris Sutton	Blackburn Rovers	18
	Dion Dublin	Coventry City	18
	Michael Owen	Liverpool	18
1998-99	Michael Owen	Liverpool	18
	Dwight Yorke	Manchester United	18
	Jimmy Floyd HasselbainkÂ	Leeds United	18
1999-2000	Kevin Phillips	Sunderland	30
2000-01	Jimmy Floyd HasselbainkÂ	Chelsea	23
2001-02	Thierry HenryÂ	Arsenal	24
2002-03	Ruud van Nistelrooy	Manchester United	25
2003-04	Thierry HenryÂ	Arsenal	30
2004-05	Thierry HenryÂ	Arsenal	25
2005-06	Thierry HenryÂ	Arsenal	27
2006-07	Didier Drogba	Chelsea	20
2007-08	Cristiano Ronaldo	Manchester United	31
2008-09	Nicolas Anelka	Chelsea	19
2009-10	Didier Drogba	Chelsea	29
2010-11	Carlos Tevez	Manchester City	20
	Dimitar Berbatov	Manchester United	20
2011-12	Robin van PersieÂ	Arsenal	30
2012-13	Robin van PersieÂ	Manchester United	26
2013-14	Luis Suárez	Liverpool	31
2014-15	Sergio Agüero	Manchester City	26
2015-16	Harry Kane	Tottenham Hotspur	25
2016-17	Harry Kane	Tottenham Hotspur	29
2017-18	Mohamed SalahÂ	Liverpool	32
2018-19	Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang	Arsenal	22
	Sadio Mané	Liverpool	22
	Mohamed Salah	Liverpool	22
2019-20	Jamie Vardy	Leicester City	23
2020-21	Harry KaneÂ	Tottenham Hotspur	23
2021-22	Mohamed Salah	Liverpool	23
	Son Heung-min	Tottenham Hotspur	23
2022-23	Erling Haaland	Manchester City	36
2023-24	Erling Haaland	Manchester City	27

Most Premier League Golden Boot won by a player

Awards	Player	Seasons
4	Thierry Henry	2001�2, 2003�4, 2004�5, 2005�6
3	Harry Kane	2015�6, 2016�7, 2020�1
3	Mohamed Salah	2017�8, 2018�9, 2021�2
3	Alan Shearer	1994�5, 1995�6, 1996�7
2	Erling Haaland	2022-23, 2023-24
2	Didier Drogba	2006�7, 2009�0
2	Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink	1998�9, 2000�1
2	Michael Owen	1997�8, 1998�9
2	Robin van Persie	2011�2, 2012�3

Photo credit: Alamy

Gameweek 10 of the English Premier League promises to be another enthralling round of fascinating fixtures. Right from Everton’s home game against Leeds United to Tottenham’s trip to Stamford Bridge, fans are certain to be entertained.

The fantasy managers, however, will once again have the selection dilemma with so many football stars pitted against each other. To ease the pressure, we give you five players who are tipped to shine in the upcoming games.

Andrew Robertson (Liverpool) vs Brighton

Liverpool left-back Andrew Robertson has been quiet so far, this season. With a solitary goal and three assists in nine Premier League games, the Scotland international has been a shadow of his former self. Hence, Liverpool’s clash against Brighton on Saturday will be a great chance for the full-back to not only get bonus points from a clean sheet but contribute to the goals as well. If you are looking for a defender, Robertson is definitely your man.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton) vs Leeds United

If there’s one player who needs to be a constant in every fantasy team this season, it is Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin. The 23-year-old striker has bagged 10 goals in nine Premier League games this season and judging how Everton have been faring so far, the tally is sure to rise. Leeds United, on their part, have kept just three clean sheets so far, conceding eight goals in their last three outings. Hence, Calvert-Lewin’s ability to breach the defences should come in handy.

Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United) vs Southampton

Bruno Fernandes�influence in the Manchester United squad is unparalleled, to say the least. The 26-year-old Portugal international has been the club’s driving force since arriving in January and is arriving at the Southampton clash with three goals in his last two games - which includes the winner against West Brom. Now, Southampton may well and truly be a tough nut to crack, but if there’s anyone in the Manchester United team who can unlock their defence, it is Bruno Fernandes.

Son Heung-Min (Tottenham Hotspur) vs Chelsea

Chelsea might have been unbeaten against Tottenham in their last three games, but Jose Mourinho's Spurs are a different beast this season. The former Chelsea and Manchester United manager has taken the team to the top of the Premier League standings and a certain Son Heung-Min has been in the form of his life. Having already scored nine goals in the league this season, the South Korean international will be the one to keep a keen eye on against Chelsea.

Jamie Vardy (Leicester City) vs Fulham

Leicester City forward Jamie Vardy has scored two goals in his last two games against Fulham. Moreover, his current form remains another concern for the Cottagers as he comes on the back of five goals and an assist in his last six games across all competitions. A potential threat for any opposition, Fulham will be wary of Vardy’s goal scoring abilities, especially with their leaky defence (Fulham have conceded 18 goals in the league).

Premier League Gameweek 8 brings along another round of exciting fixtures, with the biggest one being Manchester City’s showdown with Liverpool on Sunday. Other games include Manchester United’s trip to Goodison Park to square off against Everton while a free-flowing Leicester City welcome Wolves at King Power Stadium. 

With some high-profile clashes in store, the fantasy managers are bound to have that sweet conundrum while picking their teams for the week. So with that being said, we give you five players that are bound to have an impact for their respective teams:

Player: Hakim Ziyech

Team: Chelsea

Match: Chelsea vs Sheffield United

Sheffield United are one of the three teams that are yet to win a game this season. They travel to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea on Saturday knowing that a point will do a world of good for them. The Blues, on the other hand, are on a goal-scoring streak, notching as many as 10 goals in their last three games, with a certain Hakim Ziyech playing his part in three of them. The Moroccan may have scored a solitary goal in the league this season, but he has well and truly found his footing, and one can expect him to play a big role against Sheffield on Saturday.

Player: Aaron Cresswell

Team: West Ham United

Match: West Ham United vs Fulham

Fulham have shipped in 14 goals this season - third-highest in the league so far - and are rightly prone to conceding more when they face West Ham United away from home. As for the Hammers, they are expected to ride on the back of Aaron Cresswell’s breathtaking form. The 30-year-old full-back has three assists in seven league games and provided 15 successful crosses - a league-high. His deliveries from the touchline or even from the set-pieces are tipped to give you bonus points. If you are hunting for a defender, Cresswell is your man.

Player: Jamie Vardy

Team: Leicester City

Match: Leicester City vs Wolves

Three of Leicester’s last five meetings with Wolves have ended in a 0-0 draw, but two games have seen a total of nine goals, with Diogo Jota’s sensational hat-trick inspiring Wolves to a 4-3 win in January 2019, while a goal from James Maddison guided Leicester to a 2-0 victory in September 2018. And while Jamie Vardy has provided a single assist in these two games, his current form tips him to be the difference on Sunday. The 33-year-old has bagged six goals and an assist in his last five appearances, meaning that he is certain to be a menace for the Wolves defence which has conceded just eight goals in the league (second-lowest) so far.

Player: Raheem Sterling

Team: Manchester City

Match: Manchester City vs Liverpool

In arguably the biggest showdown of the week, expect Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling to grab the headlines one way or another. Manchester City vs Liverpool has produced a whopping 18 goals in their last five meetings and it is safe to say that the games have duly lived up to their billing. As for Sterling, he was on target the last time these two met, which saw a thumping 4-0 win for Manchester City. While he has struggled to live up to the potential he has set for himself, being a former Red, Sterling will want to be on the scoresheet once again.

Player: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Team: Arsenal

Match: Arsenal vs Aston Villa

Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang ended his goalless run against Manchester United last week. Sure, he has struggled to be amongst goals this season, but you just cannot write him off. Arsenal host Aston Villa on Sunday (Monday as per IST), and the Gabonese will certainly be the one his team will build their attack around, and thus, we put our punt on the 31-year-old. With Villa conceding seven goals in their last two outings, Arteta will want Aubameyang to step up and pile further misery on their fate.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Shaun Botterill

The 2020/21 season of the Premier League marks its return this Saturday, with as many as six games being lined up for the weekend. With Manchester City and Manchester United having played their part in the European competitions last season, their respective games against Aston Villa and Burnley have been postponed.

So as things stand, the league kicks off with Fulham taking on FA Cup champions Arsenal at home, followed by Crystal Palace and West Ham hosting Southampton and Newcastle United respectively. Leeds United travel to Liverpool to face the defending champions, while Leicester and Everton play away to West Brom and Tottenham respectively.

That said, the fantasy managers are certain to be in a dilemma as far as picking the right players, and thus, here we give you five names that are most likely to give you maximum points.

Player: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Team: Arsenal

Match: Fulham vs Arsenal

Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is the man in form. The 31-year-old, in fact, is coming off the back of scoring five goals and an assist in his last three appearances, which includes an FA Cup final against Chelsea and the Community Shield game against Liverpool.

Having scored 22 goals in 36 league matches last season, Aubameyang is one to keep a keen eye on this campaign. The Gabon international is certain to make an impact against Fulham, be it through a goal or even an assist, and thus, a must-have player in your team.

Player: Allan Saint-Maximin

Team: Newcastle United

Match: West Ham United vs Newcastle United

Versatile forward Allan Saint-Maximin has given his team Newcastle United a whole new edge altogether. Blessed with extremely impressive dribbling capabilities, and delivering defence-splitting passes, the 23-year-old is sure to be an absolute threat to West Ham United on Saturday.

The young Frenchman was recently on target during his side’s training game against Middlesbrough at Rockliffe Park, and you can expect nothing less from him when the league resumes. 

Player: Pablo Hernandez

Team: Leeds United

Match: Liverpool vs Leeds

Nine goals and as many assists in 36 Championship games last season made midfielder Pablo Hernandez one of the main reasons why Leeds achieved promotion to the Premier League. Playing in the heart of his team’s midfield, or sometimes even out wide, Hernandez will be the one his team will count on if they are to take anything positive from their away trip to Liverpool.

Known for delivering cutting through-balls and having a go at goal from distance, expect the 35-year-old to play a massive role in Leeds�attempt at causing an upset in their tournament opener.

Player: Jamie Vardy

Team: Leicester City

Match: West Brom vs Leicester

For someone who has committed a long-term future to the club, a goalscoring start would be an ideal way to kick off the new season. The top scorer of the 2019/20 season, striker Jamie Vardy is rightly tipped to be on target as his team face newly-promoted side West Brom away from home.

A man who has carried Leicester in the league since their promotion in 2014, Vardy ended the previous campaign as one of the top points-getters in the fantasy league, and you can expect more of the same on Sunday.

Player: Son Heung-Min

Team: Tottenham Hotspur

Match: Tottenham vs Everton

Tottenham’s Son Heung-Min has enjoyed relatively decent outings against Everton of late. He was, in fact, on target twice when Tottenham registered their last victory over the Toffees (December 2018) prior to the 2019/20 season. 

Tottenham taking Everton has been a feisty encounter, to say the least, as both teams have managed to cancel each other out some way or the other. As for the South Korean, he has bagged three goals in as many friendlies for his side recently, and he would want to build on the momentum by delivering what is expected of him against Everton.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Owen Humphreys

Brazil great Romario once said, �/span>Strikers are egotists, selfish. We have to be.�This particular utterance may sound bumptious to many, yet the fact remains that these men are solely judged on the statistics they deliver.

European football, this season, was profoundly impacted by the momentous consequences of the global pandemic but it managed to deliver what was promised. For once, the world witnessed someone other than Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo topping the goal-scoring chart, with Lazio’s Ciro Immobile pipping the duo by bagging 36 league goals.

In that context, a certain Robert Lewandowski was at his lethal best for the record Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich. We have had as many as 11 players who crossed the 20-goal mark across the English Premier League, the Italian Serie A, the Spanish La Liga and the German Bundesliga. So, to put things in perspective, and figure out who has been at the deadliest from the lot, we compare all these men across several facets like conversion rate and average shots per game to name a few to obtain a crystallised picture in front of us.

Note: Only the players to score 20 or more league goals are taken into account.

Only league appearances are considered, not the European figures.

Players from the French Ligue 1 have been excluded, given that the league ended prematurely.

Conversion rate

This particular attribute distinguishes how deadly a striker can be with his attempts. It is often said that the best strikers are those who can capitalise on the situations when expectations are least. 

Speaking in that context, a certain Jamie Vardy of Leicester City tops the chart with a conversion rate of 30.26. Having notched 23 goals and five assists in the 2019/20 Premier League season, the England forward attempted a total of 70 shots, with 43 of them being on target.

Up next comes a surprising entrant; Sassuolo’s Francesco Caputo who scored 21 and assisted a further seven. The 33-year-old had a mere 58 attempts, least amongst those who have scored at least 12 goals in the Serie A season but was on target on 35 occasions, completing his tenure with a conversion rate of 30.

Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski made heads spin with a return of 34 goals and four assists. In a total of 2762 minutes played in the league, the Polish striker attempted a total of 114 shots (64 on target), maintaining a healthy rate of 25.76. 

Lazio’s Ciro Immobile stole the limelight with an exhilarating tally of 36 goals and nine assists. Having had 71 shots on target from an attempted 119, the Italian marksman finished with a rate of 25.71.

Inter’s Romelu Lukaku had a fantastic season under Antonio Conte, who also tried signing the big Belgian during his time at Chelsea. And now that the pair are working together, the former Manchester United striker finished with a figure of 23 goals and two assists, converting his 75 attempts at a rate of 24.47.

You might be wondering where the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are in the list. Well, rightly so, but brace yourself for an utter disappointment as the duo finishes on the bottom of the table. 

Messi, who had a contribution in 46 league goals (25 goals and 21 assists), found the target on 71 occasions from 115 attempts, while Ronaldo, who bagged 31 goals and five assists, attempted a whopping 142 shots, with 80 being on target. The duo, however, returns a conversion rate of 14.67 (Messi) and 15.58 (Ronaldo).

Player	Goals/assists	Total Shots/On Target	Conversion rate
Jamie Vardy	23/5	71/43	30.26
Francesco Caputo	21/7	58/35	30
Robert Lewandowski	34/4	114/69	25.76
Ciro Immobile	36/9	119/71	25.71
Romelu Lukaku	23/2	75/47	24.47
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang	22/3	70/42	24.44
Danny Ings	22/2	66/38	24.14
Timo Werner	28/8	100/64	23.53
Karim Benzema	21/8	107/60	18.33
Cristiano Ronaldo	31/5	142/80	15.58
Lionel Messi	25/21	115/71	14.67

Meanwhile, those between 20 and 25 are the likes of Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (24.44), Southampton’s Danny Ings (24.14), former RB Leipzig’s Timo Werner (23.53). Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema, for his part, carried a conversion rate of 18.33.

Minutes per goal

Robert Lewandowski and Ciro Immobile once again enter the top half of the tally, having had minutes-per-goal ratios of 81 and 88 respectively in their leagues. The duo put together, has scored a whopping 70 goals and 13 assists between them, which is, with all due respect, more than what Watford and Norwich combined to score (62) in the 2019/20 Premier League season. Deleterious with the ball at their feet, the pair averaged 4.5 and 3.8 shots respectively per game. 

While both Messi and Ronaldo have been at the bottom in terms of conversion, their average of shots per game shows why they are considered as two of the best footballers of the current generation. The Portuguese, who found the back of the net every 94 minutes, took 6.3 shots per game in Serie A, most by any player in the list. The Barcelona frontman, on the other hand, comes second with 4.8 with a figure of 115 minutes per goal.

Player	Minutes per goal	Shots per game
Robert Lewandowski	81	4.5
Ciro Immobile	88	3.8
Cristiano Ronaldo	94	6.3
Timo Werner	100	3.6
Lionel Messi	115	4.8
Danny Ings	128	2.4
Romelu Lukaku	130	2.8
Jamie Vardy	132	2.5
Francesco Caputo	140	2
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang	143	2.6
Karim Benzema	150	3.4

As shown in the list, Karim Benzema, who carried Real Madrid on several occasions en route to winning the La Liga title, took 150 minutes to score a goal. A figure that lowly, however, is compensated by 3.4 shots per game.

And perhaps to no one's surprise, Chelsea’s newest acquisition Timo Werner sits fourth with a figure of 100 minutes per goal. His average of 3.6 shots per game, though, is one of the best in the tally. 

Jamie Vardy and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang acquire the bottom spots, which well and truly resonates how fiery the English Premier League can be.

Shots from different areas

Strikers are judged on how efficient they are when not on the ball. Their clever movement of getting into the scoring position is exactly what makes them noxious, and this particular area we are about to scout explore shows how effective these 11 players have been from different parts of the field, like scoring from outside the box, around the penalty area and from the six-yard box.

Starting off with the European golden boot winner, Ciro Immobile, the Lazio striker has bagged a solitary goal from outside the box from 27 attempts. From around the penalty area though, he has attempted a whopping 112 shots (second-best in the list), converting 34 of them, followed by one from the six-yard box.

There are only two players - Karim Benzema and Francesco Caputo - who failed to score a goal from outside of the box. Benzema’s goal against Real Valladolid in August 2019 though came right from the edge of the box, and thus it is quite debatable.

Player	Shots from outside of box/goals	Conversion rate from outside of box	Shots from penalty area/goals	Shots from six-yard box/goals	Conversion rate from inside box	Penalty Goals
Ciro Immobile	27/1	16.67	112/34	3/1	55.56	14
Cristiano Ronaldo	81/2	11.76	115/25	12/4	49.15	11
Romelu Lukaku	15/1	25	73/18	11/4	51.16	6
Francesco Caputo	3/0	0	65/16	5/5	58.33	2
Robert Lewandowski	20/1	20	104/29	14/4	55.93	5
Timo Werner	18/3	20	99/22	6/3	46.55	3
Lionel Messi	84/9	26.92	66/14	9/2	37.5	5
Karim Benzema	25/0	0	86/19	13/2	37.93	5
Jamie Vardy	9/1	50	70/17	10/5	55	4
Danny Ings	15/4	60	61/11	17/7	54.55	1
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang	24/2	25	60/18	9/2	55.26	2

However, the highest amount of goals from outside, as a majority of us can expect, has come from Lionel Messi, who notched nine from a whopping 84 attempts.

Robert Lewandowski, being a poacher, has found the net on 29 occasions from the penalty area in 104 attempts. Meanwhile, the best conversion rate from the six-yard box comes from Caputo, who has put the ball into the net in all of his five attempts.

Versatility

All of these 11 players have shown extreme athleticism, and that is duly illustrated by the fact that how potent they have been even with their weaker foot or even their strong presence in the air. In this distinction, we will look at how many shots each player has taken from their right foot, left foot and with their head, before they found the net.

Considering the ability to score with the weaker foot, Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy has scored nine, while Southampton’s Danny Ings and Sassuolo’s Francesco Caputo have scored eight. The likes of Lionel Messi and Romelu Lukaku are the only left-footed attackers in the list, and the duo has scored two and four goals respectively from their weaker right foot.

As far as headers are concerned, Robert Lewandowski has notched eight goals by rising high, while Timo Werner and Messi are the only forwards who failed to score a headed goal in the 2019/20 league season.

Player	Right foot shots/goals	Left foot shots/goals	Headed attempts/goals
Lewandowski	73/23	24/3	39/8
Werner	92/23	21/5	10/0
Francesco Caputo	35/11	29/8	9/2
Cristiano Ronaldo	126/24	51/5	31/2
Ciro Immobile	95/28	28/6	19/2
Romelu Lukaku	20/4	58/15	20/4
Jamie Vardy	34/11	37/9	18/3
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang	67/16	17/3	9/3
Danny Ings	55/13	21/8	17/1
Karim Benzema	69/14	30/4	24/2
Lionel Messi	12/2	142/23	5/0

And for the second time running, both Ronaldo and Messi have oozed class by having 126 and 142 attempts respectively with their stronger foot. 

Note: Stats taken from whoscored, BBC, transfermarkt, one-versus-one and understat

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Ander Gillenea, Sven Hoppe, Marco Bertorello

When Jamie Vardy turned down the offer to join Arsenal before the start of the 2016-17 Premier League campaign, the common consensus was that he had made the wrong decision.

The belief was that Leicester City’s fairytale Premier League triumph was a one-off and with Arsenal, Vardy could take the next step to further his career. 

Fasttrack to 2020 and Vardy just finished the 2019-20 season as the Premier League’s top-scorer with 23 goals ahead of Arsenal skipper Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s 22 strikes.

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From working in a factory at age 24 to making it into the Premier League 100-goal club. . . It has been a long wait but the wily fox in the box finally made his firing boot golden! . . #premierleague #jamievardy #vardy #vardyparty #goldenboot #football #drogba #berbatov #anelka #aubameyang #leicester #leicestercity #foxes #fox #foxinthebox #lcfc #leicestercityfc #football #footballfever #footballislife #footballlovers #ilovethisgame #mondaymotivation #monday #sports #news

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While rumours circle over Aubameyang’s future with Arsenal, Vardy will continue to stay with Leicester just like he did in the summer of 2016. In doing so, Vardy represents a minority of footballers who aren’t necessarily seduced by the grandeur that comes with big European clubs.

When he snubbed Arsenal in 2016, he said it was an ‘easy�decision. "I've always said the brotherhood at Leicester is unbelievable. Personally I feel I have a lot of unfinished business here. It wasn't that big a decision, it was quite easy, this is where I wanted to be," Vardy said at the time.

And one glance at the Premier League standings at the end of the 2019-20 campaign further vindicates the English striker’s decision, with Leicester City in fifth spot and in next season’s Europa League, while Arsenal finished eighth and must win their FA Cup final clash against Chelsea for a spot in Europe next season.

However, there was no way of knowing how things would pan out back in 2016 and it was a brave decision by Vardy �who recently bagged and then went past the 100 Premier League goals mark �to stay with the Foxes.

But upon closer inspection, it’s not that difficult to understand why Vardy chose to stay where he had established himself. Lest we forget, that here’s a player who spent most of his early career in lower leagues with clubs like Stocksbridge Park Steels, FC Halifax Town and Fleetwood Town.

The mere fact that he had made it to the Premier League with Leicester was an achievement at the time. Add to that, a Premier League winners medal unlike any other and it’s not that difficult to understand the bond he shares with the Foxes.

Of course, snubbing a club that’s considered a part of the traditional European elite isn’t for everyone as his teammates Riyad Mahrez and N’Golo Kante demonstrated by joining Manchester City and Chelsea respectively.

Vardy’s bond with Leicester, though, represents so much more. Things haven’t always been upbeat following his decision to stay in the East Midlands, with Leicester going through their fair share of lows on and off the pitch.

The tragic death of club owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha after his helicopter crashed outside the King Power Stadium was perhaps his lowest moment but the club stuck together as always and returned stronger following the appointment of present manager, Brendan Rodgers.

Under Rodgers, Vardy seems to be enjoying a new lease of life and finished as top-scorer in the league �another achievement he himself never thought was possible.

With Leicester preparing for European football next season, Vardy will have another shot at a dream he never thought was possible �a European trophy.

• Read | The Foxes: Brendan Rodgers and his new pet project

Just like the Premier League title and the Golden Boot before, the thought of Leicester winning the Europa League may seem farfetched at first. However, the same could have been said about him playing in the Premier League while he was leading Fleetwood Town’s frontline.

Vardy will be 34 years of age next year and will be entering the twilight of his career. The Premier League Player of the Season for 2015-16 won’t have many more chances of winning silverware between now and the end of his career. 

So, considering the rebuild that Mikel Arteta is set to start at Arsenal, Vardy can be safe in the knowledge that he’s a part of a more cohesive team as the clock winds down on an incredible career. 

Hindsight is a wonderful thing but even without it, Vardy’s decision to turn down the Gunners is vindicated as he prepares to lead Leicester’s frontline to glory in next season’s Europa League �a competition that Arsenal may not even be a part of.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Shaun Botterill

Jamie Vardy won the Premier League Golden Boot for the first time in his career on Sunday despite a poor end to the season for Leicester City that saw them miss out on the Champions League.

England forward Vardy, 33, became the oldest player to win the award for the league's top scorer after netting 23 goals, one more than Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Southampton's Danny Ings.

With Chelsea ensuring a top-four finish with a 2-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers, Vardy drew a blank as the Foxes failed to gain the win against Manchester United that they needed to leapfrog Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side into the top four.

• Leicester loyalty 'cements Vardy legacy', says Rodgers

Vardy came closest for Leicester in Sunday's 2-0 defeat at the King Power Stadium when he hit the bar on the hour mark.

Ederson took the Golden Glove award for the most clean sheets after Manchester City's 5-0 win over relegated Norwich took him to 16 for the season.

He finished one ahead of Burnley stopper Nick Pope, whose team suffered a 2-1 home defeat to Brighton.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Michael Regan

Matchweek 36 sees the fight for the European spots tense up as the in-form Arsenal, who are unbeaten in three Premier League matches, take on champions Liverpool in a crunch tie for a European spot. On other important ties, two more European aspirants Leicester City and Sheffield United battle it out for a place in the top six, with both clubs looking to take advantage of Chelsea’s loss to Sheffield last time round.

While the race for the Golden Boot gets as heated as the fight for European competition, with the primary contenders being Jamie Vardy, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Danny Ings, let’s have a look at five players to have in your Nostragamus fantasy teams:

Player: Raheem Sterling

Team: Manchester City

Match: Manchester City vs Bournemouth

Raheem Sterling might not have been at his razor-sharp best this season but the former Liverpool player has been one of their most prolific goalscorers against AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League. The English wideman scored one goal the last time these two teams met, taking his total tally to four against the Cherries in their last five games. With Pep reportedly more interested in finishing second, he will hope Sterling will be able to find his scoring boots for the third match running against Bournemouth.

Player: Mohamed Salah

Team: Liverpool

Match: Arsenal vs Liverpool

Mohamed Salah has always shown the knack of scoring goals against Arsenal. The Egyptian winger has scored five goals in as many appearances against the North London club, including three in the last two for Liverpool. He will look to continue this form against Arsenal, who haven’t lost a game at home against Liverpool in their last five fixtures.

Player: Jamie Vardy

Team: Leicester City

Match: Leicester City vs Sheffield United

Although Arsenal vs Liverpool could prove to be the blockbuster fixture for the next matchweek, the game between Leicester and Sheffield will prove to be a crunch tied for both teams. Jamie Vardy was back to his goalscoring best and added another goal against Arsenal to get an important equaliser and lead the goalscoring charts. He will need to be at his firing best against Sheffield, or risk losing the third spot to Chelsea.

Player: Mason Greenwood

Team: Manchester United

Match: Crystal Palace vs Manchester United

Mason Greenwood has been creating ripples in recent times with his strong performances for Manchester United. The front three of Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Greenwood have scored the bulk of United’s goals since the restart, with the addition of Bruno Fernandes giving the team a cutting edge in their attack. The England youth international has now scored four goals in three appearances, making him among the top-scoring teenagers in Premier League history.

Player: Danny Ings

Team: Southampton

Match: Southampton vs Brighton and Hove Albion

Brighton will be wary of the in-form Southampton in a bid to stay above the relegation zone. Danny Ings has one goal in two appearances as a Saints player against Brighton, but his current goalscoring form, which allowed his side to earn an important draw against Everton, will be key against Brighton. He now has 19 goals, and with both Aubameyang and Vardy facing tough fixtures, all eyes will be on Ings to grab a goal or two against the Seagulls.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Peter Byrne

While the Premier League title has already been won by Liverpool in record time, the battle to finish as the top-flight's leading scorer is set to go down to the wire.

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah could add the Golden Boot to his Premier League winners' medal, but he has work to do to catch Leicester's Jamie Vardy, who sits top of the goal charts with four games left.

Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is also in contention to get his hands on the prize after sharing it with Salah and Sadio Mane last season when the trio each scored 22 goals.

Southampton's Danny Ings is the dark horse after an unexpectedly prolific campaign.

Jamie Vardy

With 22 league goals to his credit so far this term, Vardy is in pole position to take the prize, especially after rediscovering his peak form over the last week.

Vardy failed to score in Leicester's first four games after the coronavirus hiatus, but the 33-year-old netted twice against Crystal Palace to pass 100 Premier League goals and struck again at Arsenal.

"He's a legend here for the rest of his time at the club, it's just what he adds to that status over the rest of his career," Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers said after Vardy became the 29th player to join the Premier League 100-goal club.

Winning the Golden Boot would be another landmark moment for Vardy, who has defied the odds throughout his remarkable rise from non-league journeyman to Premier League champion four years ago.

Vardy's next opportunity to increase his grip on the top spot comes against lowly Bournemouth on Sunday.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

The Arsenal forward has scored three times in his last three appearances to move into second place in the goal race.

Aubameyang has netted 20 times this season, his prolific form increased Arsenal's desire to get the Gabon international to extend a contract that expires at the end of next season.

The 31-year-old is yet to agree a new deal amid reported interest from Barcelona and Paris Saint Germain.

His value to Arsenal comes not just in his goals but in his ability to play wide on the left as well as upfront.

Sunday's north London derby at Tottenham and a home game against Liverpool in their following game give Aubameyang a chance to put pressure on Vardy when the spotlight is brightest.

Mohamed Salah

Having won the Golden Boot in 2018 and finished in joint first place last year, the Liverpool forward needs a late goal spree to make it three successive seasons on top of the leaderboard.

Salah's brace in a 3-1 win at Brighton on Wednesday took him to 19 goals and, with Liverpool chasing a new Premier League points record, the Egyptian is likely to remain in the team even with the title won.

With nine assists this season, compared to four for Vardy, two for Aubameyang and two for Ings, the 28-year-old all round value to Liverpool is arguably higher than any of his Golden Boot rivals.

Next up for Liverpool is Saturday's clash with Burnley followed by games against Arsenal, Chelsea and Newcastle to round off a memorable campaign that could finish on a high for Salah on a personal note as well. 

Danny Ings

The Southampton striker bagged his 19th goal of the season in Thursday's 1-1 draw at Everton.

After a blistering run during the winter, the goals had dried up a little for Ings, but the 27-year-old has been back in predatory form since the restart.

Ahead of Monday's trip to Manchester United, Ings' four goals in his last five matches have underlined the former Liverpool forward's case for a possible England call-up when international football resumes.

First, Ings will focus on becoming the first Golden Boot winner to play for a club outside the Premier League's 'big six' since Sunderland's Kevin Phillips in 1999-2000.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Paul Ellis, Richard Heathcote, Michael Regan

Liverpool and Manchester City showed why there is a 23-point gap between them at the top of the Premier League with contrasting fortunes on Sunday.

Mason Greenwood and Jamie Vardy may be at differing ends of their careers but both scored twice on Saturday in big victories for Manchester United and Leicester in the race for a place in the top four.

And at the other end of the table, all hope appears gone for Norwich on another weekend in which none of the bottom four picked up a single point.

We look at five things we learned from the Premier League.

Greenwood 'one of the best'

Greenwood is the new darling of the Manchester United support as the 18-year-old showed why manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes he is already "one of the best �if not the best �finisher I have worked with and seen".

From a man who played with Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney at a similar age that is high praise, but the power with which Greenwood rifled home with both his left and right foot against Bournemouth backed up Solskjaer's claim.

5 - The top five most goals by players aged 18 or younger in a single Premier League season. Famous. pic.twitter.com/DAyn9SD9Jy

�OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 4, 2020

Greenwood's double helped United score five goals at Old Trafford in a league game for the first time since 2011, but on the evidence of recent weeks it is unlikely to be another nine games let alone nine years before the Red Devils hit five again.

Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial also reached 20 goals for the season and Bruno Fernandes capped another influential display with a fine free-kick.

With Paul Pogba joining Fernandes since the restart in midfield, United finally look like the sides Solskjaer played in during the glory years of Alex Ferguson's reign.

Echoes of Anfield

Liverpool fans waited three decades to see their side crowned Premier League champions and now cannot see their heroes up close.

Liverpool are unbeaten in their last 57 #PL home matches (W47 D10)

They've won their last 24 in a row! pic.twitter.com/1YJUF6qtkP

�Premier League (@premierleague) July 6, 2020

In their first home match since winning the league, Liverpool were again met by rows of empty stands rather than a buoyant Anfield that would have greeted Jurgen Klopp's men.

Despite the lack of atmosphere, one thing remains the same when Liverpool line up at home - they win. The Reds were far from their best against relegation-threatened Aston Villa but did enough to secure a 24th straight league victory at Anfield in the final 20 minutes thanks to goals from Sadio Mane and Curtis Jones.

Ton up for Vardy

Leicester's struggles since the restart have coincided with a dry spell in front of goal for Vardy.

But both came to an end as the talismanic number nine scored twice against Crystal Palace to become the 29th player to score 100 Premier League goals.

Of the 29 players to have scored 100 #PL goals, only @IanWright0 (28 years 286 days) made his debut in the competition at an older age than @vardy7 (27 years 232 days) pic.twitter.com/cxFeuRG3PY

�Premier League (@premierleague) July 4, 2020

Vardy's second in characteristic fashion, as he raced in behind before nonchalantly lifting the ball over Vicente Guaita, will give the Foxes hope he can rekindle his form in time to save their Champions League ambitions.

Brendan Rodgers's men remain in third, but face Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester United in their final five games of the season.

Norwich's last chance gone

In a story of Norwich's season, chances came and went against Brighton but the only goal of the game was scored by the visitors at Carrow Road.

A sixth straight defeat leaves the Canaries still seven points adrift of safety and even manager Daniel Farke is resigned to a return to the Championship next season.

"We are not relegated, but realistically this was our last chance to get back in the mix with a good result," admitted the German.

Wasteful City beaten again

One of Norwich's only five league victories came against City in September in a shock result that set the tone for Pep Guardiola's men's title defence.

Che Adams�goal was the longest-range #PL goal so far this season (39 yards)#SOUMCI | @SouthamptonFC pic.twitter.com/VBI7U4NyNP

�Premier League (@premierleague) July 5, 2020

City have now lost nine times this season, many of which have come in the same manner as a 1-0 defeat at Southampton.

The visitors had 74 percent possession and had 26 shots but failed to score and paid for one defensive error when Oleksandr Zinchenko lost possession and Che Adams caught Ederson out of his goal from over 40 yards out.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Dave Thompson