The English Premier League 2022–2023 season will kick off on August 6 (Saturday) with matchday 1. The best player of the season, Golden Boot, and other prestigious awards have always piqued the interest of fans before each new season. The upcoming season is not an exception, especially after some marquee signings by the Premier League's top clubs. The player who scores the most wins the Golden Boot award. Let’s take a look at the players who are favourites to win the Golden Boot award for the 2022–2023 season.
10 early favourites to win the English Premier League 2022-2023 Golden Boot award
The best forward from the top teams usually wins the Golden Boot award. Therefore, the top scorer in the English Premier League for the 2022–2023 season will most likely come from a side that strives for a top–four finish. These are the ten players who have the ability to win the prestigious award next season.
Erling Haaland
Manchester City’s blockbuster summer signing Norwegian Erling Haaland is the early favourite to win the Golden Boot award in his very first season. Haaland had a formidable last season with Dortmund. He hammered 22 goals in 24 appearances for the BVB in the 2021-2022 season. Haaland needs to adjust his game to fit with Manchester City’s system, but he has the potential to become an instant hit.
Read English Premier League 2022-2023: Who are favourites to win the Golden Boot?
Mohamed Salah
Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah was the joint winner with Tottenham’s Son Heung-Min last season. In the 2022-2023 season, he will be Liverpool's No. 1 hitman once more. Salah is one of the top contenders to win the Golden Boot next season.
Harry Kane
Harry Kane, the captain of Tottenham Hotspur, won the Golden Boot in the 2021-2022 season and finished third in the top goal scorers chart the previous season. Kane will once again be one of the top contenders to win the prestigious award.
Darwin Nunez
Liverpool replaced Sadio Mane with Benfica’s top scorer last season, Darwin Nunez. The Uruguayan international scored 26 goals in 28 appearances for Benfica in the 2021–2022 season. He will surely score a lot of goals for the Reds next season.
Read Premier League 2022-2023 predictions: Title race, top-four, and relegation
Son Heung-Min
Tottenham Hotspur’s South Korean striker, Son Heung Min, became the first Asian footballer to win the Premier League Golden Boot award in the 2021–2022 season. He will once again be one of the favourites to bag the award.
Julian Alvarez
Manchester City’s new signing Argentina’s talented forward, Julian Alvarez, has the potential to be among the top scorers in the upcoming EPL season.
Gabriel Jesus
Arsenal bought Gabriel Jesus from Manchester City this summer in order to be their main hitman for next season. Jesus played as a second striker during his stint at Man City, but he will be the main striker for the Gunners for the 2022–2023 season. Can Jesus live up to the standards and be among the top scorers?
Read Asia reworks qualifying format for 48-team World Cup in 2026
Raheem Sterling
Chelsea bought Man City’s attacking midfielder Raheem Sterling this summer. He has the ability to score goals and can play the role of striker at times for Chelsea next season. Therefore, Sterling is one of the contenders for the Golden Boot award.
Jamie Vardy
Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy won the award for the 2019-2020 season after scoring 23 goals. He scored 15 goals for his club Leicester last season. Vardy will be one of the contenders for the award next season.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Ronaldo’s future with Manchester United is still uncertain. He may leave the club on deadline day. If he stays, Cristiano will be one of the favourites to win the Golden Boot award for the 2022–2023 season. Ronaldo netted 18 times for the Red Devils last season.
Read Messi, Neymar score in 4-0 win as PSG wins Champions Trophy
Way Forward
Winning the Golden Boot award depends on a number of factors, such as player form, shooting and finishing skills, decision making, creativity, and whether they can have an injury-free season. The Qatar World Cup 2022 is to be held in the November-December window, which could have a significant impact as the players can suffer injury during the mega event and jeopardize their participation in the remainder of the English Premier League 2022-2023 season. However, the above-mentioned players are early favourites to take home the Golden Boot award if they stay fit all through the season.