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Kane catching up in race for Golden Boot

5 Mar 2019
Harry Kane, goal v Arsenal celebration

After closing gap on rivals for award Spurs striker faces favourable opponents next

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Harry Kane not only salvaged a point for his side in the north London derby on Saturday but also revived his prospects of winning a third Golden Boot in four seasons.

By scoring against Arsenal, the Tottenham Hotspur striker took advantage of a rare Matchweek blank by his four main rivals for the award for the Premier League's top scorer, with Sergio Aguero, Mohamed Salah and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang all failing to find the net.

We take a look at the prospects of the front-runners over the next three fixtures.

Harry Kane (16 goals)

Kane will fancy his chances of narrowing the two-goal gap to the division’s leading scorer, Aguero, as he has had a lot of joy against Saturday’s opponents.

The Spurs striker has goals in each of his last four Premier League meetings with Southampton, scoring six in total against them.

He has also hit the back of the net in each of his last three visits to St Mary’s Stadium.

In his following match, Kane will have his work cut out at Anfield on 31 March against a Liverpool side who have conceded a league-best seven goals at home.

But he nonetheless has a good record against Liverpool, scoring three times in his last three appearances against them.

A home match with Brighton & Hove Albion then represents a great opportunity for Kane, who has scored on his last two encounters with Chris Hughton's men.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (16)

Aubameyang would have remained one ahead of Kane had he not seen his stoppage-time penalty saved by Hugo Lloris at Wembley. The Arsenal striker has only one goal in his last four PL matches. 

He will look to make amends at home to Manchester United on Sunday, but with rotation common under Unai Emery, a starting berth is not guaranteed.

Even if he does not start, Aubameyang has produced, scoring four goals as a substitute this term.

Newcastle United travel to Emirates Stadium after Man Utd and Aubameyang prefers to face teams lower down the table. All but three of his PL goals have come against teams in the bottom half.

He also enjoys facing his next opponents after the Magpies, Everton, having scored in both of his fixtures against them.

Mohamed Salah (17)

Salah is also on a barren run by his standards, with just one goal in his last six top-flight matches. Yet he still lies second in the scorers’ chart.

Last season's winner of the Golden Boot will be confident of rediscovering his touch with Burnley at home next up. The Clarets have not kept a clean sheet in six.

That is followed by a trip to a Fulham side who have shipped 65 goals this term, the most in the league.

Spurs' visit to Anfield is likely to pose a sterner test but Salah can take heart from having scored twice in the corresponding fixture last season.

Sergio Aguero (18)

On 30 January Aguero was six goals behind Salah, with his Manchester City side also trailing in Liverpool’s wake in the title race.

But seven goals in the four matches since have helped propel City back to the top of the table and also Aguero to the scorers’ summit.

The next three fixtures present further opportunities for Aguero to consolidate his position.

Watford might present a difficult proposition, but the Argentinian enjoys facing them.

He has 10 goals in just six appearances in all competitions against the Hornets, including two hat-tricks.

As for their next two opponents after Watford, City put a combined eight goals past Fulham and Cardiff City earlier in the season, even if Aguero only scored one of those.

However, after a recent heavy schedule, it is possible that Aguero, like Aubameyang, will play fewer minutes than Kane or Salah.

This may let in his rivals.

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