The Premier League Golden Boot may have been shared among three players – but when it comes to the most deadly finishers, one name stands alone. Well, just.
Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang were the most prolific scorers over the course of the 2018-19 season, all finishing with 22 goals.
Liverpool star Mane is also one of the most efficient strikers in the division – scoring with more than one in every four shots he takes (25.3 percent).
But that isn’t enough to secure him top spot. Manchester United’s Anthony Martial is statistically the most clinical of all the players in the Premier League with at least five goals to their name.
The France international netted 10 goals this season, having taken only 39 shots in his 27 appearances for United this season.
PREMIER LEAGUE’S DEADLIEST FINISHERS
| PLAYER | GOALS (MIN 5) | TOTAL SHOTS | CONVERSION RATE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anthony Martial | 10 | 39 | 25.6 |
| Sadio Mane | 22 | 87 | 25.3 |
| Glenn Murray | 13 | 54 | 24.1 |
| Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang | 22 | 94 | 23.4 |
| Xherdan Shaqiri | 6 | 26 | 23.1 |
| Jamie Vardy | 18 | 79 | 22.8 |
| Raheem Sterling | 17 | 77 | 22.1 |
| Ayoze Perez | 12 | 55 | 21.8 |
| Romelu Lukaku | 12 | 55 | 21.8 |
| Callum Wilson | 14 | 65 | 21.5 |
That gives him a shot-conversion rate of 25.6 percent, which is higher than anyone else in the English top flight. That wasn’t enough to take Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side into the top four, though.
Mane is second, with Glenn Murray of Brighton the surprise name in third on 24.1. Just behind him in fourth is Aubameyang, whose 22 goals came from only 94 shots (23.4 percent).
But alongside them in the top 10 are some familiar faces as well as some more surprising names.
Raheem Sterling has gained a reputation for being wasteful in front of goal but he scored with more than one in five of his shots (22.1 percent) and sits seventh in the overall standings.
Callum Wilson (21.5), Romelu Lukaku and Callum Wilson (both 21.8) also sneak into the top 10 while Xherdan Shaqiri of Liverpool (23.1) and Leicester’s Jamie Vardy (22.8) are among the more deadly finishers.
At the other end of the scale, however, the numbers are markedly less impressive. Fulham’s Aleksandar Mitrovic was statistically the Premier League’s most wasteful finisher, having netted with just 8.4 percent (11) of his 131 shots.
And alongside him in the bottom 10 sit some of the most highly-rated forwards in the division.
Gonzalo Higuain was parachuted into Chelsea in January to help fix their issues in front of goal.
PREMIER LEAGUE’S MOST WASTEFUL FINISHERS
| PLAYER | GOALS (MIN 5) | TOTAL SHOTS | CONVERSION RATE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aleksandar Mitrovic | 11 | 131 | 8.4 |
| Gonzalo Higuain | 5 | 46 | 10.9 |
| Dominic Calvert-Lewin | 6 | 52 | 11.5 |
| Theo Walcott | 5 | 43 | 11.6 |
| Raul Jimenez | 13 | 111 | 11.7 |
| Marcus Rashford | 10 | 84 | 11.9 |
| Salomon Rondon | 11 | 89 | 12.4 |
| Danny Ings | 7 | 55 | 12.7 |
| Wilfried Zaha | 10 | 73 | 13.7 |
| Pedro | 8 | 57 | 14 |
But the Argentine striker managed just five goals from 46 shots, giving him a pitiful conversion rate of 10.9 percent – the second worst in the Premier League.
That puts him only slightly below Wolves’ Raul Jimenez (11.7) and Everton pair Dominic Calvert-Lewin (11.5) and Theo Walcott (11.6), all of whom score with just over one in every 10 shots they fire at goal.
Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford, meanwhile, has developed into one of the most promising forwards of his generation but he, too, scored with fewer than 12 percent of his shots.
Alongside him in the bottom 10 sit the likes of Salomon Rondon (12.4), Danny Ings (12.7) and Pedro (14).
Wilfried Zaha, who is chasing a move to a Champions League club, has also proven to be wasteful in front of goal, with his 10 goals coming from 73 shots.
