Who will be the Premier League’s top goalscorer?
Goals win games so it’s no wonder Chelsea won the league last season with Didier Drogba in sparkling form. The Ivory Coast forward found the back of the net an astonishing 29 times in 32 league appearances just edging out Manchester United’s star man Wayne Rooney with 26. So will the England marksman put his woeful World Cup behind him to be the Premier League’s top scorer or will Drogba retain his place at the top of the scoring charts for a third time?
You can get odds of 11/2 from a range of outlets – including Bet365, SkyBet and Bet Fred – for either Drogba or Rooney to walk off with this year’s Golden Boot. But there are a number of other players vying for that coveted title.
Liverpool’s Fernando Torres is the fastest player in the club’s history to reach 50 goals but his campaign was decimated with injuries last season. Despite that he still managed to score 18 times in 22 games for Rafa Benitez’s underachievers. The World Cup winner is set to miss the start of the season through injury but you can get odds of 8/1 from Victor Chandler and Stan James for him to be the first Liverpool striker to top the charts since Michael Owen in 1999.
Arsenal’s World Cup finalist Robin Van Persie is another striker who missed a lot of action last season through injury. The Gunners look a much better attacking force with the Dutchman in their line-up and Victor Chandler and Bwin are both offering odds of 11/1 on him landing the Golden Boot. With his injury record it is a bit of a risk but it could prove to be good value if he can stay fit.
Then we have Manchester City’s Carlos Tevez. The Argentinean had a slow start to his career at Eastlands but once the goals started they never stopped. Twenty three goals in 33 appearances is a decent reply and if he can carry on where he left on his goals could well lift City into the top four. BetFred and Paddy Power are among the bookies offering odds of 14/1 on Tevez becoming the first Argentinean and City player to lift the prize in Premier League history.
Tottenham’s Jermain Defoe is at 18s, with Bwin, followed by Sunderland’s Darren Bent at 20s, with Bet365 and Paddy Power, and let’s not forget Drogba’s team-mate and former Golden Boot winner Nicolas Anelka. The Frenchman beat Cristiano Ronaldo to the prize in 2008/09 and he is a decent price at 25/1 with Victor Chandler and SkyBet.
Other names in the frame include Arsenal’s new boy Marouane Chamakh at 28/1, Chelsea’s marauding midfielder Frank Lampard, Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard, both at 40/1, and Manchester United’s Berbatov and Arsenal’s captain Cesc Fabregas at 50/1. And just in case you have more money than sense, Aston Villa’s Emile Heskey is at 250/1 with Victor Chandler!
Drogba 11/2
Rooney 11/2
Torres 8/1
Van Persie 11/1
Tevez 14/1
Defoe 18/1
Bent 20/1
Anelka 25/1
Chamakh 28/1
Lampard 40/1
Gerrard 40/1
Berbatov 50/1
Fabregas 50/1
