ENGLAND'S GOLDEN AGE: 6 of the EPL top 10 are English
From every perspective except Everton’s there was so much to admire about Cole Palmer’s four goals on Monday.
The first was all impudence and flair, with a nutmeg, an inventive flick, a change of pace to collect the return and a precision finish.
The second, a predatory instinct and desire to be in the right place, gambling, just in case. The third, awareness, audacity and technical aplomb with what is supposed to be his weaker foot.
The fourth, the penalty, composure in the face of squabbling teammates.
Scoring goals of all types is a sign of a forward at the peak of his powers, high on confidence.
From an England perspective, it served to emphasise the creative riches at Gareth Southgate’s disposal as he fine-tunes his squad for Euro 2024.
There are six Englishmen among the Premier League’s Top 10 scorers.
Nobody has more than Palmer’s 20. Ollie Watkins is one behind on 19. Then, at various stages, come Dominic Solanke, Jarrod Bowen, Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden.
Between them, they have 99 goals and 42 assists.
For company, they have three former Golden Boot winners Erling Haaland, Mo Salah and Heung-min Son.
The other is Alexander Isak, thriving in his second season at Newcastle.
Meanwhile, the first two names inked onto Southgate’s squad list are plundering goals in Germany and Spain.
Harry Kane, top English scorer in seven of the previous nine Premier League seasons, is some distance clear in the Bundesliga with 32 goals for Bayern Munich.
Jude Bellingham has 16 for Real Madrid in La Liga.
Then there is Ivan Toney, who scored 20 last season and celebrated his first England goal against Belgium on his international return last month, after serving an eight-month ban for gambling offences.
That’s a lot of goal power.
Nine forwards in
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