Premier League Golden Boot Race Hots Up as Alexander Isak Enters the Chat – but Is Erling Haaland Unstoppable?

A new contender in the race for the Premier League’s Golden Boot is set to enter the conversation on Sunday when Alexander Isak makes his debut for Liverpool.

Big things are expected of the 25-year-old after his £125 million move from Newcastle on deadline day made him the most expensive player ever bought by a British club.

Isak passed the 20-goal mark in each of his last two seasons with Newcastle, hitting 21 in 2023/24 and 23 in his final campaign on Tyneside.

But he is currently only rated as the third most likely winner of the 2025/26 Golden Boot, with football betting sites favouring Manchester City goal machine Erling Haaland and Arsenal summer signing Viktor Gyokeres.

Premier League Golden Boot 2025/26: How it stands

Three rounds into the new season, the Golden Boot race already has a familiar feel. Haaland leads the way with three goals, having netted twice on the opening weekend at Wolves and once more in defeat at Brighton.

A host of players are just behind him on two, including Chelsea’s Joao Pedro, Arsenal duo Gyokeres and Jurrien Timber, Liverpool’s Hugo Ekitike and Tottenham forwards Brennan Johnson and Richarlison.

Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez, Burnley’s Jaidon Anthony, Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo, Sunderland’s Wilson Isidor, Nottingham Forest’s Chris Wood, Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye, Crystal Palace’s Pape Sarr, West Ham’s Lucas Paqueta and Brentford’s Igor Thiago also have two each.

For now, though, it is Haaland who has already opened a three-goal lead on Isak before the Swede has even kicked a ball for his new club.

Golden Boot odds

Bookmakers are in little doubt about the current favourite. Haaland is priced at 11/10 to reclaim the Golden Boot after being beaten by Mohamed Salah last season.

Gyokeres comes next at 15/2, while Isak is rated an 8/1 chance to hit the ground running at Liverpool. Beyond the leading three, Pedro and Salah are both available at 12/1, with Ekitike further back at 22/1 and Chelsea playmaker Cole Palmer a 33/1 outsider.

Is Alexander Isak a Golden Boot contender?

Isak scored 54 goals in 86 league games for Newcastle, making him one of the most reliable strikers in the Premier League. At 6ft 4in, he combines height and physicality with pace, technical ability and clinical finishing.

The concern is whether he can hit the ground running after missing much of pre-season. He is expected to start on the bench when Liverpool visit Burnley on Sunday, but even a cameo could give fans a taste of his potential impact. If he settles quickly in Liverpool’s new-look attack, he could prove serious value at 8/1.

That attack has been heavily reshaped after a record-breaking summer transfer window. Liverpool spent £446.5m — more than any other club — to bring in Hugo Ekitike (£79m), Florian Wirtz (£116.5m) and Isak (£125m). With so much firepower now surrounding Salah, it is widely expected that the Egyptian’s goal tally will dip this season, with the burden of scoring more evenly distributed across the front line.

Is Erling Haaland “unstoppable”?

Haaland’s early numbers suggest more of the same. He has three goals from his first three league matches and arrives back from the international break after scoring six goals in two games for Norway — including five in an 11-1 thrashing of Moldova.

Reacting to his incredible display against Moldova — which took his international tally to 48 goals in just 45 games — one fan described Haaland as “simply unstoppable”. Another declared: “I’m sorry but Erling Haaland is going to retire as the best striker in football history.”

The Manchester derby on Sunday offers him another chance to extend his lead. If he continues scoring at this rate, the rest of the field could once again be competing for second place.

What about Viktor Gyokeres?

Gyokeres has scored twice in his first three appearances for Arsenal. Both of those goals came in a 5-0 win over Leeds, but he was fairly anonymous in his other two outings — failing to record a single shot on target against either Man United or Liverpool.

Despite some fans recently suggesting that Mikel Merino should start instead of him following a perfect hat-trick for Spain, Gyokeres is expected to lead the line for Mikel Arteta’s side most weeks after arriving in England with a fearsome reputation. The Swede scored an extraordinary 97 goals in 102 games for Sporting Lisbon across the past two seasons, numbers that explain why bookmakers see him as Haaland’s closest challenger.

Verdict

It is hard to argue with the bookmakers, who see Haaland as the man to beat. Odds of 11/10 are tempting, considering he is guaranteed to start most matches if fit and seemingly guaranteed to score goals regardless of whether City can rediscover their best form.

However, Liverpool look like the best team in the land right now. If Isak settles quickly and gets the service he has been dreaming of all summer, he will no doubt be a serious contender too.