The Debate: Apart from Erling Haaland, who is the best striker in the Premier League?

63 goals in 66 appearances is a fairly strong case to suggest Erling Haaland is the best striker in the Premier League.

The Norwegian has taken the division by storm since Manchester City acquired his services from Borussia Dortmund for a fee of £52million in the summer of 2023.

Assuming Haaland is the Premier League's best, which striker takes the silver medal for finishing second?

Members of the bet365 News team discuss who they think the best striker in the Premier League is without Haaland in the picture.

Alexander Isak is demonstrating why he's world-class material.

Jaquob Crooke

A clinical, out-and-out No.9 is an increasingly rare commodity in the Premier League nowadays and Newcastle United happen to possess one of the very best in a niche business.

If the Magpies are to realise their lofty ambitions, retaining Isak is of the highest priority.

They don’t make many players of his ilk anymore and let’s not beat around the bush, which other striker – other than Erling Haaland - is of Isak’s calibre in the Premier League? Asides from Manchester City, he would walk into every single team.

Injuries have threatened to derail his career on several occasions, but after witnessing glimpses of his sublime skillset in the 2022/23 campaign, Isak truly announced himself on the Premier League stage last season.

Returning 21 goals from 30 appearances, only Haaland possessed a better goals per 90 rate than Isak.

His xG of 20.3 ranked the Swedish striker third in the Premier League behind Haaland and Mohamed Salah. Isak is resourceful with his chances and lethal in the penalty area; of the 11 players to score 15 or more Premier League goals, only Jean-Philippe Mateta registered fewer shots.

If his composure and proficiency in front of goal is not enough, then watching him glide across the pitch tormenting defenders will certainly satisfy your viewing.

Very few strikers of Isak’s height (6ft 4in) can demonstrate a similar technical ability and he is instrumental in Newcastle’s ability to break down opposition in the final third.

There’s perhaps an argument to be had that the Swede’s all-round game is superior to that of Haaland.

It doesn’t matter whether he’s cutting in from the left or loitering in a central position, he can punish oppositions by a variety of means and is immensely difficult to contain.

Given his age profile, the frightening prospect is that there is still plenty more to come. Those Thierry Henry comparisons made in the past may still render true...

With 27 of his 31 career Premier League goals coming from his right foot, adding greater variety to his finishing is one element that could elevate Isak’s game to another dimension.

But for as long as that ever-reliable right foot remains in action, Isak will continue to ripple the back of the net on a weekly basis.

It’s why a long list of Europe’s elite clubs have been sniffing outside St James’ Park for his services. For many, he is viewed as the missing piece of the jigsaw in Arsenal’s quest for Premier League glory.

For Newcastle, he will be a key figure in helping the club to reinstate themselves in the Champions League.

If you were to remove him from the equation, Eddie Howe’s charges would find breaching the top four again a nigh-on impossible task.

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Under Unai Emery, Ollie Watkins has developed into the most complete striker in the Premier League.

James Wilson

The 2023/24 Premier League season saw Aston Villa pull off arguably the most impressive feat, as Unai Emery’s side finished in the top four to qualify for the Champions League for the first time since 1982.

At the very heart of the Villans’ success was talismanic striker Ollie Watkins, who was named both Villa Supporters’ Player of the Season and Players’ Player of the Season.

Only Cole Palmer racked up more goals and assists than Watkins in the Premier League last term, with the Chelsea sensation’s total of 33 just one above the Villa striker and Manchester City goal machine Erling Haaland on 32.

Registering 19 goals and 13 assists, Watkins was able to showcase his array of attributes in stunning fashion last term, proving he is a striker with an equal capacity to finish and set others up.

You only have to consider the assists stats of the other top strikers in the division to see how Watkins stands out, with Haaland contributing five last term and Isak only two.

Put simply, Watkins is a striker who can do it all: he has the pace to stretch defenders in behind, strength to hold the ball up, awareness to create opportunities for others and composure to finish when chances come his way.

Under Emery, Watkins has taken his game to a new level, with his continued improvement seeing him emerge as a genuine threat to Harry Kane’s status as England’s number one striker.

Often operating as a winger earlier in his career, Watkins was raw as a Premier League striker when arriving at Aston Villa in 2020.

Regularly making runs into the channels and picking up the ball in wide areas, Emery has sought to fine-tune Watkins’ game since taking the reins at Villa Park in October 2022.

The results have been spectacular, with Watkins retaining his all-round skillset whilst playing with more efficiency and maximising his output in front of goal.

The 28-year-old was able to display what he was all about in the biggest moment of his career so far at Euro 2024.

Thrown on for England skipper Kane with the Three Lions level with the Netherlands at 1-1 in the Euros semi-final in Dortmund, Watkins had just nine minutes to make an impact.

In what will go down as one of the most memorable England goals of all time, Watkins was able to send his country into just a third major final with one of the last kicks of the game.

A moment of genuine brilliance, Watkins received the ball from Cole Palmer before turning Matthijs De Ligt and firing home from a narrow angle to send English supporters both inside the famous Westfalenstadion and watching back home into dreamland.

A fans’ favourite at Villa and now a national hero for England, Watkins must surely now be considered one of the best strikers in the business.