Cream has risen to the top in epic Golden Boot battle

Goals have been easy to come by in the Premier League this season and the high-quality forwards have taken full advantage which should lead to an epic four-way battle to land the Golden Boot.

Diego Costa heads the charts and the market but is closely followed by Alexis Sanchez, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Sergio Aguero.

Finding a bet looks impossible but here is a guide to the contenders.

Diego Costa 6-4
13 goals, 17 matches, 115 mins per goal, 2.9 shots per game
He will be suspended for the Bournemouth game after accumulating five yellow cards but has mainly sorted out his disciplinary problems and his one-time suspect hamstring seems to have strengthened up.

Costa can rely upon great service from Eden Hazard and is unlikely to be rested but even so he looks short enough considering the level of competition. He doesn't take penalties either.

Sergio Aguero 9-2
10 goals, 12 matches, 101 mins per goal, 5.1 shots per game
The Premier League's best striker has spent much of this season on the sidelines, although rather than muscle problems the one-time injury-plagued forward has paid the price for disciplinary trouble.

Aguero averages more shots than his Golden Boot rivals and has the best minutes-per-goal ratio. Five of the current bottom six are still to visit the Etihad so if there is value it could be here.

Alexis Sanchez 5-1
12 goals, 17 matches, 120 mins per goal, 2.8 shots per game
Marathon man Sanchez never seems to get tired and is well on course to beat his Premier League best of 16 goals but he will need Arsenal to last the distance with him.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic 6-1
11 goals, 16 matches, 131 mins per goal, 4.6 shots per game
The 35-year-old is showing no signs of getting weary and will be helped if Manchester United continue to improve. However, Ibra could miss some league games if United maintain their strong cup form.

Best of the rest
Romelu Lukaku, one of our two ante-post selections, is doing much better than the other (Daniel Sturridge) and the Everton hitman could sneak the each-way money as Betfair were paying five places.

Reigning champion Harry Kane should improve after returning to full fitness and eight-goal 66-1 poke Theo Walcott is one for each-way punters looking to think outside of the obvious.

Already advised
D Sturridge top goalscorer
1pt each-way (four places) 25-1
R Lukaku top goalscorer
1pt each-way (five places) 12-1

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