Feature

Race for the Golden Boot: Raheem Sterling

28 Mar 2019

Phil Neville assesses the contenders for the PL top-scorer prize beginning with the 'world-class' Man City star

The race for the 2018/19 Premier League Golden Boot is wide open with six players separated by only three goals.

Former Manchester United and Everton defender Phil Neville looks at the strengths of the leading contenders.

Raheem Sterling: 15 goals

Sterling is sixth on the list of leading goalscorers this season but is only three behind the leader, Manchester City team-mate Sergio Aguero.

The 24-year-old is in superb form having scored a hat-trick against Watford on his last PL appearance, a feat he repeated with England on international duty.

And Neville sees him as a serious candidate to be presented the prize by Cadbury in May.

"Raheem Sterling could still win the Golden Boot because of the amount of chances that City get and he gets in particular," says Neville.

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"The composure around his finishing has become world-class. He's taking the extra touch, not smashing the ball but showing that composure in front of goal that all the best strikers and goalscorers have in the world."

Given that Man City next face two clubs in the bottom three, Fulham and Cardiff City, there is every chance Sterling will add to his tally sooner rather than later.

Tough examinations follow at home to Tottenham Hotspur and against Manchester United, but, as Neville points out, Sterling has the quality to take on all comers.

"What you're seeing now is a player who's matured, developed, and is truly, truly world-class," says Neville.

"As a defender he would be my worst nightmare: two-footed, unbelievable speed, the ability to go outside you, inside you, run in behind you without the ball and then the composure to finish at the end of a sweeping move.

"He's as good as anyone in the Premier League. A really, really impressive player and one I would absolutely hate playing against."

Premier League defenders will not relish trying to slow Sterling down as he sets his sights on a second successive PL crown.