The fate of the 2019-20 Premier League season remains unclear due to the unpredictable nature of the coronavirus pandemic- a crisis that has impacted organised professional football in its entirety.
While the league hierarchy is keen on resuming the campaign in June, there remains an overwhelming concern for the health of players and officials who would be exposed if the campaign were to recommence.
The uncertainty of the season’s conclusion, however, is in stark contrast to the inevitability of Liverpool’s Premier League victory as the Merseyside giants were already 25 points clear at the top of the table before the nation-wide lockdown.
Jurgen Klopp’s men appeared destined to lift their first league title in three decades as they were only two wins away from glory before the campaign was suspended indefinitely.
Meanwhile, the likes of Leicester City, Chelsea, Manchester United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Sheffield United were in the midst of a top-four battle, with north London clubs Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal following close behind.
The current season, precarious as it may be, has not, however, stopped the evolution of the Premier League’s most lethal strikers, with the division’s best forwards treating its fans to some excellent attacking play throughout the campaign.
If the last decade witnessed the rise of remarkable strikers in the English top-flight, the 2019-20 campaign has proven that they are capable of maintaining their place at the top. With that said, we take a look at three strikers who have been in scintillating form in the Premier League this season.
#1 Jamie Vardy
Jamie Vardy has come a long way since he was released by Sheffield Wednesday as a youth player for being “too small“. The striker climbed a staggering seven divisions in English football and transformed himself from a non-league player into a Premier League champion in the course of a decade.
The Englishman made his Football League debut at the age of 25 but left no stone unturned in his journey to stardom. He joined Leicester City for over £1 million in the summer of 2012 and helped the club secure promotion to the Premier League in 2014.
Two years later, the Sheffield-born man led the Foxes to their first top-flight title in 132 years of their existence, with 24 Premier League goals under his belt.
The 33-year-old striker has since proven that he is not a one-season wonder as he hit double figures in four successive terms after his club’s fairytale campaign.
He has further improved his form this season and is currently leading the race for the Premier League Golden Boot with 19 goals and 4 assists to his name.
Despite his age, Vardy has still managed to maintain his blistering pace and energetic displays on the pitch- qualities that defined him during Leicester City’s title-winning season four years ago.
He remains a pivotal figure in the Foxes’ set-up and has simply been a more efficient version of himself under the tutelage of Brendan Rodgers.
#2 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Where would Arsenal be without the services of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang this season? In recent weeks, an extensive commentary has emerged regarding the London giants’ place on the Premier League table in the absence of their captain.
The Gabon international is responsible for 45.6 per cent of the Gunners’ 39 Premier League goals this season and is the only player in the team with a double-digit goal tally in the Premier League.
His goals have earned 16 points for the club this term which means Mikel Arteta’s men would be staring relegation in the face without the striker’s efforts.
The 30-year-old has been an absolute force within the Emirates set-up since his move from Borussia Dortmund in 2018 and has certainly erased any doubts regarding his ability to adapt to the Premier League.
He won the Premier League Golden Boot last season alongside Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane after registering 22 goals and 9 assists and is currently in contention for the prize this term, with 17 goals and a single assist to his name.
His all-round game-play has certainly stood out in a team that has been lacklustre and inconsistent all season and, as such, it is no surprise that European giants like Barcelona are said to be interested in acquiring his services.
It is easy to overlook Aubameyang’s significance in the Arsenal team when one considers their current position in the Premier League (9th) but Arteta himself dismissed all doubts regarding the striker’s influence when he described him as his “most important player”.
#3 Mohamed Salah
One could argue that Sadio Mane deserves as much recognition as Mohamed Salah this season but there can be no dispute over the fact that the Egyptian ace has been the most prolific Liverpool forward this term.
The 27-year-old is currently third on the Premier League goalscoring charts with 16 goals and 6 assists under his belt.
If his numbers alone are not enough, it is worth remembering that he is also not an out-and-out striker but a modern winger-striker who has managed to outscore even the best specialist marksmen in the country.
Unsurprisingly, a section of critics initially predicted that Salah would not be able to match the astonishing statistics of his first season with the Reds, during which he registered 32 goals and 10 assists.
The forward, however, put all the criticism to bed when he won the Premier League Golden Boot, alongside Mane and Aubameyang, after tallying 22 goals and 8 assists in the English top-flight the following season.
While Liverpool’s recent successes and their impending league title will be credited to a sustainable unit created by Jurgen Klopp, Salah’s returns as a goalscorer and provider, as well as the qualities that have made him an Anfield great, will be too illustrious for the club’s supporters to forget.
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