League golden boot race gap closes

Quest for highest goal scoring trophy tightens up after stellar performances from star strikers

YOU DON’T WANT NONE OF THIS — Harry “The Hurricane” Kane stares down Evertonian defenders after putting his name twice on the score sheet in game week 27. (Wikimedia)

I AM THE CAPTAIN NOW — Goal scorer, Romelu Lukaku (center) celebrates with teammate Ross Barkley (left) after the Evertonian side was given some hope after the late goal. (Wikimedia)

This weekend saw Tottenham F.C and Everton F.C square up in a clash of titans and a battle of will.

Top strikers, Harry Kane and Romelu Lukaku faced off against each other. Kane, the English striker burst onto the scene in the 2014 season when he, for the first time, scored double digit goals to send Tottenham into a solid position in Europe.

Following two stellar season performances, Kane has solidified his place as one of the best strikers in England and in world football as well.
In addition to the 23-year-old’s sheer talent, he has the leadership of Mauricio Pochettino, one of the best managers in the world.

He is also blessed with a talented midfield and defensive partnership, with top names such as Christian Erikson and Toby Alderweireld on his team.

Romelu Lukaku is known for his strength and tenacity. The former Chelsea player went out on loan to Everton in the 2013 season and joined them permanently in the 2014 season.

For the Evertonians, he has made a huge impact and made himself a known threat to any defensive line his team faces. In the three seasons since the permanent move, the Belgian striker has become Everton’s all-time leading goal scorer with a total of 61 club league goals: not a small feat for the 23-year-old.

He also has a well-known manager in Ronald Koeman and veteran mentorship in players like Phil Jagielka and Leighhton Baines.

Coming into the match, Kane had a total of 17 goals to his name in the league, while Lukaku had 16.

Kane gave the Spurs a comfortable lead in the first half and ended the match scoring a well-earned brace. He showed himself to be one of the best finishers in English football by getting two goals past Joel Robles, the Spanish goal stopper.

One was in the twentieth minute and the other in the fifty-sixth minute mark. The two goals came from assists from left back Ben Davies and central attacking midfielder Dele Alli respectively.

Everton responded with a goal from Lukaku in the eighty-first minute, which came off an assist from fellow country-man and winger Kevin Mirallas.

Dele Alli hit the final nail in the coffin by scoring one in injury time to put the Spurs up by two. His goal came off an assist from Harry Winks.
Striker Enner Valencia did, however, get a consolation goal for Everton. The Ecuadorian was assisted by central attacking midfielder Ross Barkley and the match ended 3-2 in favor of the Spurs.

Kane now leads the league in goals scored with 19, while Lukaku is in second place with 18. Next, hot on the trail is Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez, who has 17 goals and Chelsea’s Diego Costa is in fourth place with 16.
Tottenham’s Erikson leads the league in the assists column with 10. Next to him is Swansea’s Gylfi Sigurdsson who ties with 10 as well. In third place is Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne with nine and Arsenal’s Sanchez is tied there also.

Everton goes up against West Brom next, while the Spurs play Crystal Palace F.C. in their next fixture.

In the league thus far, Chelsea remains in the first position with 66 points. Tottenham is in second position with 56 points, though up by a game and Manchester City is in third place with 55 points.