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The 2022-23 Premier League season is set to begin on August 5 with Arsenal facing Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. Many clubs shall have set their targets for the upcoming campaign, while players are gearing up to have a successful season.
All Premier League clubs have played multiple pre-season matches to increase fitness levels, understand the manager's tactics and integrate new signings.
Pre-season is a fine way to get up to speed before the new season and many strikers welcomed this opportunity this summer. There were goals galore and a few of them found the back of the net multiple times, thereby proving their mettle going into the 2022-23 campaign.
On that note, let's take a look at five Premier League players who scored five or more goals in the 2022 pre-season.
#5 Wilfried Zaha- 5 goals
Wilfried Zaha knocked in 14 Premier League goals for Crystal Palace in 33 matches last season. He will be itching to build on that tally in the 2022-23 campaign.
The Ivory Coast international has certainly had a good pre-season as he banged in five goals.
What was even more impressive was the nature of those strikes. His scintillating curling effort in their 3-0 win against Queens Park Rangers was the pick of the bunch. Zaha also bagged a penalty in the same game.
He also had a hand in all three goals in the 3-2 victory against Gillingham.
The club's latest pre-season fixture against Montpellier also saw Zaha find the back of the net.
In doing so, the winger will have instilled a lot of confidence in manager Patrick Vieira. The Frenchman will be keen on getting a winning start against his former club Arsenal on Friday night.
#4 Rodrigo- 5 goals
Leeds United managed to avoid relegation on the final day last season. They will hope for a better season this time around and they just might have the players to do so.
Rodrigo, in particular, is finally finding his scoring boots under new boss Jesse Marsch. Playing as a secondary striker, the Spaniard is making excellent late runs into the box while also often taking the onus of scoring goals on himself.
His five goals in pre-season games have portrayed this fact, especially his recent hat-trick against in the 6-2 victory against Cagliari.
Apart from this, the winger-cum-striker also managed to bag goals in the 4-0 win against Blackpool and the 1-1 stalemate against Crystal Palace.
The Peacocks are set to play Wolverhampton Wanderers at home on August 6 in their opening fixture of the 2022-23 Premier League season. Marsch will hope Rodrigo can fire on all cylinders and help them finish much higher in the Premier League table.
#3 Darwin Nunez- 5 goals
Darwin Nunez is definitely in the conversation of being the signing of the 2022 summer transfer window. He proved the same during Liverpool's pre-season fixtures.
The club-record €100 million (including add-ons) arrival from Benfica has not taken long to adjust to life at Anfield under Jurgen Klopp. Despite his subpar pre-season debut against Manchester United, he has more than redeemed himself since then.
The Uruguayan striker scored an incredible four times in 45 minutes against RB Leipzig, with the German club also later tweeting about the striker's sensational finishing abilities.
However, his most important goal for the club so far came in the 3-1 victory against Manchester City in the Community Shield.
The centre-forward was put into the game with the aim of getting his side over the line and he did just that. Nunez first won the penalty, which Mohamed Salah converted effectively. The striker then headed in the third goal to win his first trophy with the Reds.
He has certainly announced himself in England through his five goals in pre-season and the Community Shield. Nunez will now be eager to score against newly-promoted Fulham in Liverpool's opening Premier League fixture at Craven Cottage on August 6.
#2 Harry Kane- 5 goals
Harry Kane may have missed Tottenham Hotspur's pre-season games last season but he has made it a point to make his presence known this summer.
The north London side traveled to South Korea to play two matches. Kane scored a brace in a 6-3 win against K-League XI before scoring against Sevilla three days later in their 1-1 draw against the La Liga side.
The England star was not done there as he scored both goals in Tottenham's 2-1 victory against Rangers. His first goal, in particular, showcased his quality in 1v1 situations, while his second displayed his ability to pounce on half chances.
Kane has bagged five pre-season goals in total and will now have his eyes on winning the Premier League Golden Boot for a fourth time next season.
#1 Gabriel Jesus- 7 goals
Gabriel Jesus has been the talk of the town ever since his £45 million move from Manchester City to Arsenal was finalized at the start of July.
The Brazilian striker looks like a player who is enjoying his freedom in the centre-forward role as he has taken his chances with both hands.
Arsenal certainly looked their part in pre-season as they won five of their six games. This included a 4-0 victory against Chelsea in the Florida Cup final and the 6-0 thumping of Sevilla in the Emirates Cup final.
While Jesus scored only once against their London rivals, he bagged a marvelous hat-trick against the Spanish club. It is also worth noting that he got off to a flying start as he scored twice against FC Nurnberg while also scoring once against Everton.
His efficiency and effectiveness in front of goal, creative nuances and all-round play will have given Mikel Arteta lots of confidence.
Jesus will hope to open his Premier League account for Arsenal in the opening fixture itself as they look to finish in the top four this season.
