'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
As we pulled the curtains down upon another rollicking, pulsating season of the English Premier League, it's time we look back and draw out some analysis; starting with the most prolific goalscorers of the campaign.
The British top-tier was lit up with some more talismanic goalscoring exploits, while the race for the Golden Boot was extremely closely contested. This was also the season where two players touched the 30-goal mark, a Premier League first, and overall, 4 players finished with a haul of 20 or more goals - just one less than last year.
Also, the season registered a total of 1,018 goals - the second lowest in the last 8 seasons, and witnessed as many as 249 different scorers! However, we'll focus only on the most prolific ones. On that note, here are the top 5 goalscorers of the Premier League 2017/18:
#5 Raheem Sterling (Manchester City) - 18 goals
The swashbuckling Manchester City side of 2017/18 comprised of several players at the top of their game and firing at all cylinders. One such player is Raheem Sterling, who registered his career-best figures in the Premier League with 18 successful strikes.
In fact, the 23-year old struck more number of times than he did in his first two seasons with the Skyblues combined (13) - that's the extent to which he raised the bar this time, whilst also contributing with 11 assists.
He was a menace inside the box throughout, intelligently getting into scoring positions whilst also linking up brilliantly with the likes of David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero.
The former Liverpool starlet came of age down that right wing and also weighed in with some match-altering strikes such as the 82nd-minute equalizer against Everton, the 84th-minute winner against Huddersfield Town and the 96th-minute winner against Bournemouth.
#4 Jamie Vardy (Leicester City) - 20 goals
The England international rose from the ashes of last season like a phoenix, producing another impressive scoring spell for the Foxes that ultimately helped finish within the top 10. His return of 20 goals for the season is just four short of what he managed during the title-winning campaign, two years ago.
In what was a tumultuous season for Claude Puel's side, Vardy was one of the more consistent individuals, even though he always saved his best for the big game against the big boys of the league.
In fact, he's the only player to score against each of the top six sides in the division - 11 goals in all. And he struck in both legs against Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur.
Given his poaching instincts, it won't be long before we see him don the colours of one of the top dogs of the league. But at the moment, his impressive scoring prowess could be really important for the Three Lions at the upcoming World Cup in Russia.
#3 Sergio Aguero (Manchester City) - 21 goals
With only 25 appearances for the season, the fact that Sergio Aguero still manages to be among the top three scorers says a lot about his striking qualities. The Argentine has also started from the bench on three of those occasions. Yet, there's nothing that has managed to stop the relentless forward.
Aguero has historically been a terrific striker in that Skyblue shirt, so it isn't surprising to see him on the list, or any list dabbling into the greatest scorers of the Premier League. This season also saw him surpass Eric Brook's haul of 177 goals to become the all-time top scorer for Manchester City, and currently, the figure stands at 199.
The Skyblues cut a swathe through some of the meanest defences in the league, and Aguero was the chief tormentor. He is also the player with most hat-tricks for the season with 3 - one each against Watford, Newcastle United and Leicester City.
#2 Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) - 30 goals
Even as we run out of superlatives to describe him, the Spurs forward continues to score left, right and centre. The winner of last two Golden Boots, Kane narrowly missed out on a third one this year. But it's the hunger for more such honours that keeps him ticking and has subsequently resulted in a steady linearity in his graph.
His scoring figures for the last four seasons read something like this: 21, 25, 29, 30. He is the only player to have steadily improved on the striking front in that period and it's easily comprehensible that Tottenham's transformation into a 'top 6' side has coincided with his rise to become a world-class striker.
The Lillywhites were quite off the pace in the race this term, but Kane remained as stellar as ever. All eyes now turn towards his exploits at the World Cup with England.
#1 Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) - 32 goals
The amount of scepticism when Liverpool splashed £36.9 million on Salah last summer was simply unprecedented. Having disappointed at Chelsea, the Egyptian was inconsistent at best when at AS Roma. So no one really expected the signing to come to fruition.
Except, Salah delivered a performance of a lifetime in his debut campaign with the Reds, effectively shushing all the critics and naysayers. He delivered right from the offing, scoring thrice in the opening 5 games, and would only go on to up the ante with each passing game.
Salah took to Klopp's gegenpressing like a fish to water and ran amok, tearing defences asunder. It was evident that Liverpool saw something in him which none of us did, which is why they took the gamble without hesitation. And to say it paid off is a massive understatement.
The PFA Player of the Year, the Premier League Player of the Year, the Premier League Golden Boot, the record for most goals in a single Premier League campaign - all have Salah's name inscribed on them!
Need I say more?
