Premier League Golden Boot: the contenders to watch in 2026/27


Golden football boot trophies lined up beside cups

The Premier League Golden Boot race is already beginning to provide plenty of intrigue, and for supporters following the goals, LiveScore IE offers pre match prices as the battle for the division’s top-scoring prize develops.

At the time of writing, Manchester City’s Erling Haaland leads the scoring charts with five goals, with Alexander Isak narrowly behind on four. A group of 10 players, consisting of Brian Brobbey, Bruno Fernandes, João Pedro, Morgan Rogers, Bukayo Saka, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Marcus Tavernier, Pascal Gross, Rayan Cherki and Kevin Schade are on three.

There is, of course, a huge amount of football still to be played. Golden Boot challenges can change dramatically over a 38-game season, but the early numbers provide an interesting indication of which forwards and attacking players could be worth watching.

Haaland naturally begins the conversation

The Manchester City striker has won the Golden Boot in three of the last four seasons, including the 2025/26 campaign when he scored 27 league goals. He has once again started quickly, and his ability to consistently produce goals over an entire season makes him an obvious name in the race.

The early standings suggest there could be plenty of competition

Isak is currently on four. The Sweden international arrived at Liverpool with a reputation as one of Europe’s most accomplished forwards, and his presence gives the reigning Golden Boot conversation another major name.

Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes has also made a fast start. The Portuguese midfielder is not a conventional centre-forward, but his penalty responsibilities, creativity and willingness to arrive in dangerous positions make him a regular source of goals.

Chelsea have multiple players involved in the early scoring picture. João Pedro and Morgan Rogers are both on three goals at the time of writing, while Cole Palmer is among those on two. That depth could become significant as Chelsea’s attacking options develop throughout the season.

Arsenal also have several players who could enter the conversation. Bukayo Saka has three goals, while Kai Havertz and Martin Ødegaard are among those with two. Viktor Gyökeres also gives Arsenal another recognised goalscorer capable of changing the complexion of their attack.

Last season’s surprise entry

Another name worth monitoring is Igor Thiago of Brentford. The striker finished the 2025/26 season with 22 Premier League goals, putting him behind only Haaland in the final Golden Boot standings.

Thiago’s form could therefore make him one of the more interesting challengers outside the traditional title contenders.

There is also room for players to emerge unexpectedly. The opening weeks have already demonstrated that goals are not exclusively coming from the division’s biggest clubs, with players from teams such as Brighton, Bournemouth and Brentford featuring prominently among the early scorers.

That is one of the reasons the Golden Boot race is so difficult to call this early in the campaign.

Recent history suggests that the eventual winner will need a substantial tally. Haaland’s 27 goals secured last season’s award, while Mohamed Salah scored 29 in 2024/25.

So while the early table provides plenty of talking points, consistency will ultimately matter more than a fast start.

Haaland has already demonstrated his ability to maintain an extraordinary scoring rate, but Isak, Fernandes, João Pedro, Saka, Thiago, who bagged his first goal of the season against Chelsea, and others have the opportunity to keep the pressure on.

With the season still in its early stages, the Golden Boot race remains wide open in terms of the number of players capable of building a challenge. The next few months will reveal which early-season scorers can turn promising starts into sustained challenges for one of English football’s most coveted individual prizes.







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