Adrian Clarke looks at the top five contenders for the Golden Boot ahead of Sunday's final round of fixtures.
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Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (20 goals)
Having reached the 20-goal mark in his first full Premier League season Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang should take great pride in being a Golden Boot contender.
In what has been a transitional campaign for Arsenal it has not been an easy ride for the 29-year-old.
Unlike the other leading scorers in the division, he has featured in a range of different formations.
With no consistent pattern of play or defined individual role, it has been harder for Aubameyang to settle into a rhythm.
Unai Emery has used him wide, as a partner for Alexandre Lacazette, in a lone striker role and as an impact substitute.
Yet despite those changing remits, Aubameyang has consistently found the back of the net, scoring a goal every 132 minutes.
Of the top five leading PL scorers, only Sergio Aguero can better that return.
Threats of top five scorers
| 2018/19 | Touches in opp. box | 2018/19 | Shots (excl blocks) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salah | 310 | Salah | 102 |
| Aguero | 209 | Aguero | 85 |
| Mane | 197 | Mane | 74 |
| Vardy | 149 | Vardy | 68 |
| Aubameyang | 130 | Aubameyang | 66 |
Arsenal’s struggle to find fluency as an attacking force, especially away from home, has reduced Aubameyang’s opportunities to score.
The Gunners are ranked seventh for most chances created, behind the top four clubs, Manchester United and Leicester City.
This means Aubameyang has had to be efficient to challenge the top of the goalscoring charts.
With 66 attempts on goal Aubameyang has had the fewest shots of all the contenders for the Golden Boot.
As he spends much of his time linking play from wide areas, Aubameyang’s touch count inside the opposition penalty area of 130 is also low.
In total, 22 other players have had more touches in the penalty area than him.
Clinical or careless?
Some have bemoaned a lack of ruthlessness from Aubameyang.
There is some truth in this. Callum Wilson is the only striker in the division to have passed up more "big chances" than Aubameyang in 2018/19.
Part of the issue may be his one-footed nature. Eighteen of his 20 goals have come from his right foot, and none with his head.
But Aubameyang also boasts the best chance-conversion rate of the top five scorers, scoring 30 per cent of his efforts.
Efficiency of top five scorers
| Players | Chance conv. | Players | Big chances missed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aubameyang | 30% | Aubameyang | 20 |
| Mane | 27% | Vardy | 17 |
| Vardy | 26% | Salah | 16 |
| Aguero | 24% | Aguero | 10 |
| Salah | 22% | Mane | 10 |
Aside from his pace, the trait that most marks out Aubameyang as special is his ability to find space inside the penalty area.
His movement is exceptional and, because he has a knack of knowing where the ball will fall, good chances tend to fall his way.
Aubameyang has his work cut out to win the Golden Boot, but if Arsenal improve as a creative force next season, do not be surprised if he is leading the charge in 2019/20.
See: Premier League's top scorers
Also in this series
Part 1: Golden Boot: Vardy revived by Rodgers revamp
Part 2: Golden Boot: Mane taking central role for Liverpool
Part 4: Golden Boot: Aguero now a threat with both feet
Part 5: Golden Boot: Salah boasts skill set of complete striker
