Tuesday 11 December 2018 13:01, UK
Who is setting the pace in the race for the Golden Boot and who could prove a late bloomer thanks to their conversion rate?
Mohamed Salah moved back to the top of the Premier League's goalscoring chart after his hat-trick in Liverpool's 4-0 win at Bournemouth on Saturday, having picked up the Golden Boot in his first year at Anfield last season.
He joins Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at the top of the list on 10 goals, with two-time winner Harry Kane one behind and Manchester City duo Raheem Sterling and Sergio Aguero joined by a surprise trio of Glenn Murray, Richarlison and Callum Wilson on eight.
So who's going to finish top of the pile, who has shown the most clinical touch, and who are the bookies backing?
Salah and Aubameyang have plenty of players on their tail - but the race for the top has been a slower burner than it was this time last year.
With 16 games played in the Premier League in 2017/18, Salah had already netted 13 times, one ahead of Harry Kane on 12, while Alvaro Morata sat three further back on nine.
Salah and Aubameyang top the scoring charts but Anthony Martial, despite scoring three goals fewer so far, has netted every 112 minutes on average - a better rate than either of the two leading scorers.
But looking at players who have scored five goals or more - so their numbers can't be skewed by having such a small proportion of shots and goals to compare - the Frenchman also impresses.
In terms of turning shots into goals, only Murray edges him out on conversion rate, but the age-old penalty debate will rear its head over this one as three of the Brighton striker's goals have come from the spot, while one of Martial's has too.
Both Kane and Salah's shot conversion rates are well down on some of their rivals for the Golden Boot - but if the chances keep flowing, they have every reason to believe they will still be leading the charts come May.
He might trail the top two at the moment, but Kane is 5/2 favourite to wrestle back the Golden Boot from last season's winner Salah, according to the latest odds from Sky Bet.
However, the Liverpool man is not far behind his rival, at 11/4, but Aubameyang is further back at 5/1, behind Aguero who comes in at fours.
Further afield Sterling is available at 20/1, or in the realms of real dark horses, eight-goal Murray is priced up at 50/1.
