Premier League Golden Boot betting: Danny Ings scores again but Jamie Vardy remains big favourite in race with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mo Salah
Jamie Vardy may have one hand on the Golden Boot but Danny Ings will not go quietly as he closed the gap despite missing a penalty.
Golden Boot race as it stands
- Jamie Vardy: 23 goals | Leicester: 37 games played
- Danny Ings: 21 goals | Southampton: 37 games played
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang: 20 goals | Arsenal: 36 games played
- Mo Salah: 19 goals | Liverpool: 36 games
Ings keeps going
- Sky Bet odds: 12/1
- Fixtures: Sheff United (H)
Danny Ings just won't let this go as he scored yet again at Bournemouth to close the gap to just two - but it should've been just one as he then missed a penalty!
We've been singing Ings' praises for some time here, and also banging on about how good his tally is considering he doesn't take penalties - well now we know why he's not on them.
He may come to regret missing that spot-kick if he scores again at St Mary's on Sunday and finishes just one goal away from what would be a remerkable achievement.
Still, he has one last chance and a brace against the Blades could give him a share of the Golden Boot - the fact his odds are 12/1 with just one game left are amazing and a sign of what a great season he's had.
Just being involved at this stage of the season is a huge effort from the player Liverpool let go for £20m last summer. That seems like a bargain right now.
Vardy misses out
- Sky Bet odds: 1/5
- Fixtures: Man United (H)
No goals for Vardy at Spurs, but he looks like he's already done enough, as his odds suggest.
While he endured game after game waiting to score his 100th Premier League goal, he was replaced as favourite, but he came roaring back with four goals in three games to now lead the charts with 23 for the season.
Even though he didn't find the net at Spurs or in Leicester's win over Sheffield United Vardy remains the huge 1/5 favourite to add another amazing chapter to his football fairytale.
Even without any further goals it'll take something special from the chasing pack to overhaul him at this late stage.
Auba and Salah fail to shine
- Sky Bet odds: Aubameyang - 7/1 | Salah 16/1
- Fixtures: Aubameyang: Villa (A), Watford (H) | Salah: Chelsea (H), Newcastle (A)
If only the FA Cup counted! Aubameyang showed exactly what he can do with his double seeing off Man City and putting Arsenal into the final - they really need to keep their top striker at the Emirates next season.
Neither Aubameyang (20 goals) or Mo Salah (19) went close though during Arsenal's win over Liverpool at the Emirates on Wednesday to leave them with plenty to do in their final two fixtures.
Salah and Aubameyang shared the honours with Sadio Mane last season, but the two strikers failed to shine when they went head-to-head - the Arsenal skipper started on bench ahead of their FA Cup semi-final - and retaining the trophy looks like it may well be beyond them now.
Those FA Cup goals will be a huge boost though, and Arsenal's games against relegation strugglers means the bookies are worried Aubameyang could fill his boots, as his 7/1 price is much shorter than that of Danny Ings, who has a goal more.
Mo Salah's a smiling assassin, he seems a lovely chap off the field but on it he's ruthless, greedy and determined to score with almost every touch. But that ruthlessness wasn't quite there for both him or his team against Liverpool and it could cost him in the race to finish the season as the Premier League's leading marksmen.
It hasn't been there since the restart to be quite honest.
Salah will now be kicking himself as he looks like falling a couple short of emulating Alan Shearer and Thierry Henry as three-in-a-row winners.
He needs a hat-trick, basically, as well as probably needing Vardy to not score again this season - that's without even worrying about Aubameyang or Ings! On the plus side, when on the pitch he now takes Liverpool's penalties so he does an outside chance. But he's 20/1 for a reason.
Another shared prize may be the best he can hope for though.
Article first published on July 8 and is updated after each key fixture.
Odds correct as of 2315 BST on 20/07/20
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