Viktor Gyokeres leapt to the top of the Golden Shoe standings at the weekend ahead of Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah with a stunning four-goal salvo that will only increase transfer speculation linking the Sporting striker with a transfer to Arsenal or Real Madrid.
Gyokeres struck four times against crisis-hit Boavista to lead Sporting to an easy win and propel them back to the top of the Portuguese Liga as Salah celebrated Premier League title success at Anfield.
Gyokeres now has 38 goals to his credit. Salah is 10 further back but while his goals count for two points each in the Golden Boot race, those struck by the Lisbon-based hitman only register as 1.5 points as Sporting are not in a ‘Big 5’ league.
In another demonstration of his finishing prowess that will have Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta salivating, Gyokeres opened the scoring before six minutes were up by thumping home a low cross at the near post.
He continued to be a menace from crossed balls but added a second in first-half stoppage time, showing his pace and power to score following a counterattack.
Shortly after the break, his hat-trick goal arrived in a similar style as he outpaced the defence and then stuck a shot too hard for the keeper to stop.
His fourth of the night and the fifth for Sporting was a simple tap-in.
A two-horse race
Gyokeres has thrown the gauntlet down to Salah with this performance, putting him in pole position ahead of the Egypt international for the Golden Boot.
As well as getting double points for his goals, Salah also has a crucial advantage in that Liverpool still have four league games to play this season, with Sporting having just three of their 34-game campaign left.
No other player is in serious contention for the Golden Boot, with Barcelona hitman Robert Lewandowski, who is on 50 points, currently out injured.
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