The true measure of a great striker is not by the number of goals he has scored, but by the significance and circumstance of his strikes.
We have often heard the age-old maxim ‘but can he do it on a cold Tuesday night in Stoke?’, and while that sentence has etched its way into football folklore for its humour, there is some method behind this meme madness.
Circumstance is everything in football; for a player to step up in a difficult situation and prevail marks the sign of a true great. Sergio Aguero did just that in 2012 and may very well hold the mantle for the Premier League’s most important goal.
But what of the match-winning goals during the 2018/19 season? Which players had a hand in the most season-defining moments for their club? Well, read on to find out the top four players who scored the most ‘match-winning goals’ during the 2018/19 season….
=2. Sergio Aguero (Man City)
Match-winning goals: 7
He came up with the goods seven years ago on the final day of the season against QPR and he did it again versus Brighton. After the Seagulls broke the deadlock, the Argentine quickly dispelled City nerves and marked the start of a blistering comeback.
But is hasn’t just been at the Amex where Aguero has stepped up, as each and every one of his seven match-winning goals last term proved absolutely essential as Liverpool finished just a point below their North West neighbours in an epic title race.
=2. Jamie Vardy (Leicester City)
Match-winning goals: 7
There is no sign of Vardy’s ageing legs hindering his pace – or eye for goal – as the Foxes forward also managed to net an impressive seven match-winning goals last term. He was consistent during an inconsistent Leicester City season with a very commendable 18-goal haul and Brendan Rodgers will be hopeful he can form a solid partnership with new signings Ayoze Perez and Youri Tielemans.
=1. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Match-winning goals: 9
Salah’s sensational nine match-winning goals begs the question: how did he not make the PFA Team of the Year? And while the Egyptian King was unable to replicate his insatiable goalscoring exploits from 2017/18, he still clinched the Golden Boot – and his goals were every bit as important as the Reds accumulated the third-highest points total in Premier League history.
=1. Alexandre Lacazette (Arsenal)
Match-winning goals: 9
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang often steals the headlines, and rightly so – he did win the Golden Boot. But Lacazette has scored key goals at very key moments for the Gunners last term, making him the club’s real MVP. His 13-goal tally for the 2018/19 season looks very unflattering for a player of his ability but if he continues to find the back of the net in vital games, Unai Emery won’t mind one bit – and the Frenchman will have a big part to play during the new season.
Watch the video at the top of the article to see more of our unique end-of-season Premier League stats – powered by Opta.
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