We all know that Erling Haaland is, by some considerable distance, the best number nine in the Premier League right now. Manchester City’s star striker broke the record for most goals in a single Premier League season during his first year in England and has continued to shine during the opening weeks of the current campaign.
But take Haaland out of the equation (he’s in a league of his own, after all) and how the Premier League’s other leading strikers compare against each other? Well, the guys on Sky Sports’ Saturday Social had their say this weekend, and it’s fair to say their selections have caused quite the stir. Let’s take a closer look.
E: Odsonne Edouard, Raul Jimenez, Carlton Morris, Richarlison, Fabio Silva
Despite scoring three goals in his first four appearances this season, Crystal Palace’s Odsonne Edouard finds himself in the worst category alongside Fulham’s Raul Jimenez, Luton Town’s Carlton Morris, and Fabio Silva of Wolves. As you can see, Tottenham’s Richarlison is also here, despite having enjoyed some decent seasons with Everton in the past.
The Brazil international, who has scored 20 goals in 44 games for his country, only managed to find the net in one Premier League game during his debut season at Spurs. That number obviously has to increase following Harry Kane’s departure.
D: Zeki Amdouni, Beto, Rasmus Hojlund, Cameron Archer
A new arrival in the Premier League, the jury is still out over Burnley’s Switzerland international Zeki Amdouni. The same can be said for Everton’s £26 million summer signing Beto, who has arrived from Italian outfit Udinese, and Sheffield United’s £18 million signing Cameron Archer.
Manchester United’s Rasmus Hojlund is only 20 but is under big pressure to hit the ground running this season following his £72 million move from Atalanta. The Denmark international looked bright on his debut against Arsenal and will undoubtedly bring far more to the table than Anthony Martial, who probably should have been moved on years ago. It’s hard to imagine that Hojlund will still be in category D come the end of the season.
Tipped for big things as a youngster at Chelsea, it’s not unfair to say that Dominic Solanke has struggled to justify the hype throughout his senior career so far. That said, the 25-year-old Bournemouth striker appears to be looking more comfortable in the top flight these days and was involved in a career-best 16 Premier League goals (six goals, 10 assists) last season.
Current Chelsea striker, Nicolas Jackson, has shown signs of quality during his first few weeks in England but has also missed some big chances. In fact, the Senegal international is statistically the worst finisher in the Premier League this season, at the time of writing. Evan Ferguson, on the other hand, has just become the sixth-youngest player to score a Premier League hat-trick after netting all of Brighton’s goals in a 3-1 win over Newcastle. The 18-year-old, who has been compared to Wayne Rooney and Alan Shearer, certainly has the potential to become one of the league’s best strikers but category C seems fair right now.
