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CAN LEICESTER’S VARDY HOLD OFF PURSUERS IN GOLDEN BOOT RACE?

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Jamie Vardy Leicester striker has a two-goal lead going into the final day as he bids to win the English Premiership Golden Boot award for the first time.

He is in pole position to claim the title. The Leicester City forward has netted 23 goals ahead of the Foxes’ home match against Manchester United today

Vardy has drawn a blank in his last two outings but still sits two goals ahead of Southampton’s Danny Ings  who has also never won the prize.

Ings is in strong form as he and his Saints team-mates prepare to host Sheffield United, having netted in his last two matches, against Brighton & Hove Albion and AFC Bournrmouth.

Golden Boot award race
Player   Goals  Opponents
Jamie Vardy     23   MUN (H)
Danny Ings     21   SHU (H)
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang     20   WAT (H)
Mohamed Salah     19   NEW (A)
Raheem Sterling     19   NOR (H)

Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is three goals behind Vardy in his quest to retain the Golden Boot, which is presented by Cadbury. 

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He jointly shared the award with Liverpool’s Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah last season.

The Gunners striker needs at least a hat-trick at home against Watford on Sunday.

And he faces a Hornets defence who have conceded seven goals in their last two matches, while Aubameyang netted a brace when the sides drew 2-2 in this season’s reverse fixture.

Late surge?

Liverpool forward Salah is one goal behind Aubameyang but will take confidence from the fact he has scored in his last four matches with Sunday’s opponents Newcastle United.  

He could become only the third player to win the Golden Boot for a third time, and three times in a row, after Alan Shearer and Thierry Henry.  

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Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling is making a late charge and has moved level with Salah after scoring five goals in his last three Premier League matches.

He needs to score at least four goals on the final day and faces a Norwich City side who have conceded a league-high 70 goals this season.

Sterling also seems to have assumed penalty duties for Man City, having taken their last spot-kick in the midweek 4-0 win over Watford.

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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