Sunny Mehta’s new right-hand man comes from the same organization from where the New Jersey Devils poached him.

Each of them got to work with and under Florida Panthers general manager Bill Zito for several years, and we all saw how well built they were.

You can’t help but get excited by what New Jersey has to offer. More details on who Mehta appointed as his new assistant GM yesterday in the link below.

Also in the link, Devils draft targets, potential Blueshirts trade, and more.

Devil’s Trade Rumors and News

New Jersey Hockey Now: Sunny Mehta placed his first fingerprints on the front office, hiring Braden Birch—the Florida Panthers’ former director of hockey operations—as assistant general manager.

And if you were unsure about Birch, this Hall-of-Famer and future NHL executive had nothing but positive things to say about the new appointment:

Looking at the draft, I’m still of the position that Mehta should be traded with the 12th overall pick. However, if he doesn’t find a partner, here are five must-see forwards the Devils should target in the first round.

📺 devil’s rink report: There is debate over whether the Devils should retain their 12th overall pick or trade it for immediate help. On the Devils Rink Report YouTube channel, I explained clearly why they should be aggressive about doing this later.

Earlier this week, we went live with immediate reaction after the draft lottery. The full episode can be found here 👇🏼

Please like and subscribe our Youtube channel And turn on those notifications when we go live every Friday!

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NHL Trade Talk, News and National Hockey Now

Forever Blueshirts: That’s why the New York Rangers have a big decision to make when it comes to Drew Fortescue.

pittsburgh hockey now: The Pittsburgh Penguins certainly exceeded expectations this season by making the Stanley Cup playoffs. Here’s how each of the big three, Sindy Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang, contributed.

Boston hockey now: That’s why the Boston Bruins are having to trade for speed and skill this summer.

Montreal hockey now: The Montreal Canadiens’ post-season success has been marked by consistency in goal. More from Mark Dumont about Jacob Dobbs on this occasion.

Colorado hockey now: That’s why Jared Bednar’s gamble on Mackenzie Blackwood in Game 3 paid off in the Colorado Avalanche’s 5-2 win over the Minnesota Wild and a 3-1 series lead.

Athletic ($): What will the New York Rangers do with their fifth overall selection? What Vince Mercagliano is hearing includes the possibility of a trade.

James is the fully certified New Jersey Devils beat reporter for New Jersey Hockey Now on SportsNote and … More about James Nicholls

Manchester United Youth product Alvaro Carreras, now at Real Madrid, appears to have suffered from bullying at Real Madrid.

sports world report More on this topic and how Real Madrid teammates were forced to intervene in an incident with Antonio Rudiger.

From Manchester United to Real Madrid

Alvaro Carreras joined Real Madrid in a €50m deal last summer after impressing at Benfica. The Manchester United youth product was on loan with the Portuguese club until 2024.

He established himself at the club, helping him make the move permanent in 2024. A year later, Real Madrid came calling to sign the full-back. He was a product of his own youth before moving to Old Trafford.

The 23-year-old has been a regular this season, but it seems he is not making friends behind the scenes.

Releasing information from El Chiringuito, Mundo reported that Rudiger had tackled the full-back in an incident two weeks earlier. The German player had also slapped the youngster in a dressing room incident in February. Carreras also acknowledged this, calling it an “isolated incident.”

Rudiger incidents

However, El Chiringuito reports that a similar incident occurred just 15 days earlier.

“Two weeks ago, not in the locker room, but on the training pitch, Rüdiger confronted Carreras again. His teammates had to intervene to separate them,” Journalist Marcos Benito explained.

“He also asked him to apologise, as his behavior towards the 23-year-old player was getting out of control. His teammates had to step in to stop the German.

“I don’t know what relationship Rüdiger has with Carreras (or) what he has done to him. I don’t know if there is some misunderstanding between them, if they don’t get along, but it was not just the February incident with aggression; two weeks ago, he confronted him again.”

The incidents indicate growing problems for the former Manchester United man, who appears to be suffering bullying at the hands of Rudiger.

This is another sign of the problems at Real Madrid, where the player’s strength now appears to be out of control. Perhaps that’s why reports are linking him with a move to the likes of Jose Mourinho, a manager who will certainly ruffle feathers.

nottingham forest A move for Davide Fratesi to Inter Milan failed in January. There is still hope for a transfer, with the player increasingly accepting that he needs to leave.

At the end of January, the East Mids club came close to signing the Italian. A deal was almost complete, with the Nerazzurri simply waiting to sign a replacement.

sports witness The saga was covered closely, as Fratesi had to stay due to Inter’s failure to sign Curtis Jones.

After that, things did not change for the midfielder. The 26-year-old has started only two Serie A games in 2026, relegating him to bench-warmer status.

Nottingham Forest may have another chance at Fratesi, who is awaiting a transfer.

evacuation team

corriere dello sport Reports on the Italy international made it clear that he was keen on a transfer in January.

The newspaper believed that Nottingham Forest could not meet Inter’s demands and this was another reason for the failure. The Nerazzurri wanted a loan with an obligation to buy but the Premier League side wanted a simple loan.

Now, it is certain that Fratessi will leave Inter in the summer. Despite being very important for them in the 2024/25 campaign, he has given up hope of making his mark.

It is said that the midfielder’s smile has disappeared in the last few months. Hoping to get out, he has his ‘phone in hand’ and his crew is doing everything they can to make a move.

He wants to play regularly and make an impact at the highest level, as he did under Simone Inzaghi.

Nottingham Forest given another chance

Ideally, the Champions League-experienced player may not be keen on a move to the City Ground. But in this case, things may be different.

Nottingham Forest dealt Fratessi’s squad in January in their move for Lorenzo Lucca. This shows that they have a very good working relationship, which could also help in the signing of the Italy midfielder.

Fratesi is a midfielder who adds a lot of unpredictability in the final third. He may not be technically proficient, but he has the ability to achieve important goals. This would help any team, let alone Nottingham Forest.

Vitor Pereira’s side have a chance but there are every possibility that more clubs will come knocking for them.

The Washington Wizards have acquired two stars this season, but only one has played for them. Four-time All-Star guard Trae Young (quad) has played five games, while five-time All-NBA big man Anthony Davis (hand) has been out since the Wizards met the Dallas Mavericks in February.

Washington released an update on Davis via social media on Friday.

“Davis, who is out with ligament damage in his left hand, was re-evaluated on Thursday by Dr. Steven Shinn of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles,” the organization said. “It was determined that Davis’ recovery is progressing positively, but the volar plate tissue in his left hand has not completely healed. Davis will continue conservative treatment and will continue to pursue his basketball activity as tolerated, he will be reevaluated at the end of the month, and an update will be provided at that time.”

According to ESPN, Davis has not played since January 8, when he injured his hand guarding Utah Jazz big man Lauri Markkanen in the Mavericks’ 116–114 loss. This occurred the day after the Wizards agreed to acquire Young from the Atlanta Hawks and they agreed to terms with Dallas for Davis on February 4.

Washington sent the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 2026 first-round pick, the Golden State Warriors’ top-20-protected 2030 first-rounder, and three second-rounders along with forward Khris Middleton, guard AJ Johnson, guard Malachi Branham and big man Marvin Bagley III. The Mavericks also traded guards Jaden Hardee, D’Angelo Russell and Dante Exum along with Davis. Via Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, the Wizards waived Exum and Russell will not report to the team.

This story is being updated.

When the Los Angeles Lakers signed free agent Marcus Smart over the summer, they were determined to prove he could still compete for a championship contender. And while his team hasn’t been consistent enough this season to earn that label, Smart and the Lakers have the third-best record in the Western Conference standings. Marcus knows he is fortunate to still have an NBA career.

According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, after helping the Lakers earn a 127-125 overtime win against the Denver Nuggets, Smart reflected on his 2022 injury that resulted in him nearly losing his right arm.

“I was taken to the ER and lost a lot of blood,” Smart told ESPN. “I passed out. …That’s how I lost a lot.”

Smart, who missed the game-winning shot against the Lakers during his time with the Boston Celtics in 2018, regained consciousness after receiving 20 stitches.

“The doctor looked me in the eyes and told me, ‘I don’t know how you still use your right hand,'” Smart said. “‘You should thank God sincerely every day.'” The piece of glass that had cut into his hand was just millimeters away from ceasing its use completely.

“They said it fit perfectly between every tendon in my hand without causing any damage,” Smart said. “And they had to leave the extra piece in, because they said it would cause more damage if we took it out.”

That piece of glass is still in Smart’s right hand.

“For six years after the incident with the glass, I still had the glass in my hand and I used to play with it. And there were times when my hand would go numb because of it. Many times, in many games, I couldn’t control it. I had to play and there were times when I was shooting the ball and just, I had no feeling in the arm, in the hand.”

Still, the 32-year-old Smart can impact wins at a high level, which he proved by finishing with 21 points and five steals against the Nuggets.

Marcus Smart criticizes Lakers haters

Lakers veteran Marcus Smart hasn’t let the haters stop him. Reflecting on the most horrific injury of his career, Smart had time to reflect on those who do not consider the Lakers a legitimate threat to win a title.

“Basically, we’re tired of listening to people,” Smart said. “I know I am. And if you’re competitive, if you have any kind of competitor in you, you’re going to get tired of that too. So you want to try to prove them wrong.”

The Lakers beat the Rockets 100-92 on Monday, extending their winning streak to six.

Phoenix Suns veteran Dillon Brooks’ promising update on his hand injury ahead of facing the Indiana Pacers could pave the way for his return. Brooks discussed the Suns’ upcoming postseason run and how a potential best-of-7 series would present “problems” for the Minnesota Timberwolves. The forward will look to regain his rhythm between now and the end of the regular season.

Brooks will make his first appearance since a 113–110 double-overtime win against the Orlando Magic on February 21. Brooks was seen during the Suns’ morning shootaround before facing the Pacers on Thursday shooting without actors According to AZ Central’s Duane Rankin, he suffered a fractured left hand.

Dillon Brooks no cast on fractured left hand for Suns morning shootaround. #Sun pic.twitter.com/GntKpKI3Fm

– Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) 12 March 2026

The Suns went 5-3 in their eight games without Brooks, including their current three-game winning streak, which was extended by a 129-114 win against the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday.

Dillon Brooks warns Timberwolves about Suns’ playoff run

After a heroic performance from Suns veteran Dillon Brooks to capture the top 50 ranking, they threatened the Timberwolves with a potential best-of-7 playoff series. Brooks, who rarely shy away from expressing his honest opinions, believes the Suns can upset the Timberwolves in the postseason.

Brooks claims Suns have Timberwolves’ Numberhe said, according to the Million Dollar Worth of Game podcast.

“You never know, ant [Anthony Edwards] This year it could be a great year and win a chip. . .But they come to us, there’s going to be problems,” Brooks said. “We’ve got their number this year.”

“If they run into us, there will be problems. We’ve got their number this year.”

Dillon Brooks on a potential Suns-Timberwolves playoff matchup 👀

(via @mworthofgame)pic.twitter.com/EgEBtzl7Uf

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 10 March 2026

The Suns defeated the Timberwolves 108–105 on December 8, almost two weeks after a 114–113 win against the Timberwolves at home.

Nick Nurse provided a promising outlook on Tyrese Maxey’s injury after the Philadelphia 76ers’ loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night.

Maxi suffered an injury in the last minute of the game. The star guard injured his hand with 16 seconds remaining, raising questions about his availability for the next few games.

Nurse reflected on the events after the game via SixersWire. He knows how important it will be to deal with their injuries, including Maxi’s situation.

“Apparently, it’s huge, right?” the nurse told reporters. “Especially with what we’re going through right now, with some guys being out, and obviously, he’s just another key player, but we’ll see. We’ll see. I won’t make any decisions or think about it until we find out for sure.”

“You don’t want something like this to happen,” the nurse concluded. “Guys often get hit hands, jammed fingers and all kinds of things. So, let’s hope that’s the case.”

Nick Nurse, how the 76ers performed against the Hawks

Nick Nurse and the 76ers will have to make their case if Tyrese Maxey misses time with a hand injury. Their 125-116 loss to the Hawks didn’t help matters either.

Four players, including Maxey, scored in double figures for Philadelphia in the loss. Before the injury, he finished with a stat line of 31 points, five assists, four steals and two rebounds. He made 12 of 22 shots from the field, including 3 of 7 from beyond the arc and 4 of 4 from the free-throw line. Quentin Grimes came next with 26 points and six rebounds, Kelly Oubre Jr. put up 24 points and five rebounds, while Trendon Watford added 10 points and two assists.

Philadelphia fell to a 34–29 record on the season, and finished eighth in the Eastern Conference standings. They are above the Atlanta Hawks and Charlotte Hornets, while falling behind the Miami Heat and Orlando Magic.

The 76ers will look to bounce back in their next game by remaining on the road. They will face the Cleveland Cavaliers on March 9, tip-off at 7 PM ET.

The highlight of the night for the New Jersey Devils at PPG Paints Arena was when the Pittsburgh Penguins faithful gave golden goalscorer Jack Hughes a standing ovation to solidify Team USA’s victory at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Then again, it was penguins all night.

Fork is found in the kitchen. In other words, the Devils gave up the game’s first goal – once again – to the Penguins in the first period.

Late in the opening frame, Arseniy Gritsyuk was charged a minor penalty or fouled Penguins defenseman, Parker Wotherspoon, and the Penguins went on the power play.

About a minute into the man advantage for Pittsburgh, Kris Letang’s blast was redirected by Tommy Novak, giving the Penguins a 1–0 lead.

It was a slow first period for the Devils, who ended the period with a 9-6 shot differential deficit.

However, the second season started much better. In a similar manner to how Novak scored – albeit at power – Hughes fed Dougie Hamilton at the Penguins blueline for a one-time blast.

Paul Cotter redirected a Hamilton shot and tied the game at one.

Dan Muse and the Penguins challenged the Devils goal for goaltender interference. Still, the challenge went New Jersey’s way, which put a goal on the board and sent the Devils to the power play.

Still, the Devils failed to convert the man advantage and three additional power plays gained in the second period.

It was all Penguins in the third period as they regained the lead after quickly taking control of the game.

At 6:30 of the final frame, Ryan Shea’s rocket from the left circle hit the cross bar and bounced off Connor Clifton at the opposite point. When the puck came to him the veteran defenseman did not hesitate, wound up and scored to give the Penguins a 2–1 lead.

50 seconds later, Yegor Chinakhov caught the Devils napping. He slipped behind the Devils defense and Evgeni Malkin fed him for a half-breakaway and Chinakhov scored to put the Penguins ahead by two goals, making the game 3–1.

The Devils pulled Markstrom with less than four minutes to play and after the man advantage, Clifton had the puck taken out of play and sat for delay of game.

Blake Lizotte hit an empty net to seal the Devils’ 29th loss of the season and fifth consecutive.

Jacob Markstrom’s strong start wasted. The Swiss goaltender brought a little Olympic swag back with him. Still, they surrendered three goals on 33 shots they faced.

James is the fully certified New Jersey Devils beat reporter for New Jersey Hockey Now on SportsNote and … More about James Nicholls

The Phoenix Suns received bad news last week when it was revealed that Dillon Brooks suffered a hand injury and there was no timeline yet for his potential return to the court. On Monday, following a meeting of the medical staff, it was announced that Brooks would need approximately four to six weeks to recover as he recovers from a hand injury, according to Shams Charania.

Dillon Brooks suffered a hand injury during the Suns’ win against the Orlando Magic on Saturday. He played only seven minutes before exiting the game. He finished with five points and three rebounds.

The Suns recently welcomed Jalen Green back into the lineup after missing most of the first half of the season with a hamstring injury. But losing Brooks for a long time is a big blow to a team that is trying to maintain momentum in a crowded Western Conference playoff picture.

The Suns are currently 33-25 and are in seventh place in the West standings. They are two games behind the No. 6 seed Minnesota Timberwolves and avoid the play-ins altogether.

Brooks is in his first season with the Suns after being acquired as part of the multi-team blockbuster trade involving Kevin Durant in the offseason. So far he has made an invaluable impact on the court.

Brooks has appeared in 50 of the Suns’ 58 games so far, all starts, playing just over 30 minutes per game. He averaged career-highs of 20.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.0 steals while splitting 44 percent shooting from the field, 34.3 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 85.6 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

One of the biggest talking points in the NBA in recent weeks has been the league’s rampant tanking issue, with teams like the Utah Jazz routinely benching starters to increase their lottery odds. The NBA has tried to address this issue in recent seasons by reducing lottery odds and implementing fines, but clearly, more work needs to be done to meet fan expectations.

Recently, NBA insider Joe Warden of The Athletic reported on a proposed idea that would see the league eliminate the draft altogether and essentially make incoming rookies free agents.

“There were several meetings this week among league officials to discuss tanking measures, and about 10 solutions were discussed, not one of which included the complete elimination of the rookie draft,” Vardon reported.

However, this does not mean that it will not be possible to move forward if things continue in this direction.

“…If (Adam) Silver and his advisors decide the only way to stop tanking…is to stop the draft altogether and turn rookies into free agents, the same league official said it would be seriously considered.”

Meanwhile, NBA commissioner Adam Silver addressed the league’s tanking issue during his media availability at All-Star weekend in Los Angeles.

He said, “I think talking to GMs and coaches around the league shows that perhaps our records show even more parity. And that goes back to the incentive issue. … It’s a little confusing.”

It is unlikely that any solution exists that will be able to completely satisfy all parties involved, but there is clearly an issue when teams are routinely pulling their starters from games in a blatant attempt to make up for losing.

It remains to be seen how the NBA will address this issue in future seasons.

We are into the second half of the season and Erling Haaland is very much in pole position to be this year’s Premier League top scorer.

The top flight of English football is home to some of the best attacking players in the world, but Man City’s big Norwegian is once again in a class of his own this season.

Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and several other teams spent heavily on new strikers in the summer and all of them have taken some time to find their feet. It has also been a poor season for last season’s Golden Boot winner, Mo Salah.

Instead, it is Brentford’s Igor Thiago and Haaland’s new teammate Antoine Semenyo (who reached double figures for Bournemouth before his January switch) who are the closest to catching Pep Guardiola’s goal machine.

⚽ Latest Premier League top scorers & odds

As we can see from these latest odds taken in January, everyone bar Haaland is priced at 10/1 or greater – with only Thiago having scored more than ten times. Barring a long-term injury, no one is catching him.

With this in mind, sport BET (and others) have set up a new market – Premier League top scorer without Haaland. This is looking slightly more difficult to call, as several sharpshooters are on similar tallies at time of writing. We’ve broken down some of the contenders here.

⚽ Latest Premier League top scorer WITHOUT Haaland odds

*Goal tallies and odds last updated on 23rd January. Odds are subject to change.

⚽ Premier League top scorer WITHOUT Haaland odds – frontrunners

Below are the main candidates to finish second behind Haaland, assuming he stays fit and continues firing.

Remember this market will also pay out in the event that someone remarkably surges ahead and wins the Golden Boot. As long as your chosen player finishes immediately after Haaland in the scoring charts, you’re a winner!

🥇 Igor Thiago – 1/5

• Goals: 16
• xG: 12.51
• Starts (sub appearances): 21 (1)
• Minutes per goal: 115.06
• Total shots: 52

No Premier League team will have lost more goals over the summer than Brentford, with Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa both moving on. A lot of responsibility was therefore placed on Brazilian Igor Thiago, who joined from Club Brugge in the summer of 2024 but made just eight Premier League appearances while the French-born pair were combining for nearly 40 goals.

This season, he is the main man, and has been a godsend for rookie manager Keith Andrews – outscoring everyone else in the league so far apart from Erling Haaland. The Bees had been tipped to struggle this season given all the departures, but are currently pushing for Europe.

It would be fair to say Thiago has been streaky – he scored five goals in three days as Brentford beat Everton and Sunderland in early January and also managed another five in three games in November.

⚽ Back Igor Thiago to continue scoring and finish second only to Haaland in the scoring charts at 1/5 with sport BET ⚽

🥈 Antoine Semenyo – 12/1

• Goals: 10
• xG: 7.08
• Starts (sub appearances): 21 (0)
• Minutes per goal: 188.8
• Total shots: 50

Antoine Semenyo’s ten goals for Bournemouth convinced Man City to stump up £65m to secure his services in January. The Ghana international shone on opening night, scoring an excellent brace at Anfield, before bagging four more in the following six games.

Unlike most Africans playing in the Premier League, Semenyo wasn’t involved in the African Cup of Nations at the turn of year – as Ghana failed to qualify. This has enabled Guardiola to integrate him into the lineup very quickly and he has already made his first starts at the Etihad.

Being at a huge club surrounded by world class talent may now count against Semenyo in this market, as he may find himself in a rotation of attacking players – rather than being the main man.

⚽ Tip Antoine Semenyo to finish immediately after Erling Haaland in the scoring charts at 12/1 with bet365 ⚽

⚽ Premier League top scorer WITHOUT Haaland – outsiders

With more than two-thirds of the season still to play, there’s plenty of time for someone to hit a ‘purple patch’ and catch up to Erling Haaland and the others named above. Here are three more players who’ve had a good season thus far and could be potential dark horses in this market.

🏅 Hugo Ekitike – 16/1

• Goals: 8
• xG: 6.48
• Starts (sub appearances): 14 (5)
• Minutes per goal: 152.75
• Total shots: 45

Hugo Ekitike took little time to settle in at Anfield, having arrived from Eintracht Frankfurt for around £79m. The Frenchman scored on his Premier League debut against Bournemouth and has been Liverpool’s most consistent goal-getter with the even-more-expensive Alexander Isak struggling prior to his injury, and with Mo Salah seemingly on his way out of Anfield.

Five of Ekitike’s eight league goals game in a three-game purple patch in December – with braces against Leeds and Brighton, and the eventual winner at Tottenham.

⚽ Tip Hugo Ekitike to finish as the Premier League’s top scorer WITHOUT Haaland at 16/1 with William Hill ⚽

🏅 Dominic Calvert-Lewin – 33/1

• Goals: 9
• xG: 8.01
• Starts (sub appearances): 15 (5)
• Minutes per goal: 155.66
• Total shots: 41

No striker in the top flight, however, has offered quite the same return on investment as Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who didn’t cost Leeds a penny! DCL was available on a free in the summer and has eventually won the battle to become their starting number nine.

He’s bagged nine goals in 15 starts, with seven of these coming in the last six games of the year. If he can keep it going into 2026, he could match his best-ever Premier League tally of 16 back in the 2020/21 season. He will also be hard for England manager Thomas Tuchel to ignore when it comes to selecting his World Cup squad!

⚽ Go for Dominic Calvert-Lewin to continue his fine form and finish as top scorer behind Haaland at 33/1 with William Hill ⚽

🏅 Nick Woltemade – 33/1

• Goals: 7
• xG: 6.24
• Starts (sub appearances): 17 (2)
• Minutes per goal: 189.29
• Total shots: 29

Having missed out on other transfer targets in the striking department, Newcastle eventually stumped up a club record fee for 6ft 6in Nick Woltemade from Stuttgart. The German arrived to relatively little fanfare amid the protracted Alexander Isak saga, but he quickly won the locals over – scoring three times in his first four Premier League games, plus one in the Champions League.

Eyebrows were raised at the fee, which was reportedly in the £70-75m region, given the 23-year-old had only recently emerged as a Bundesliga regular – scoring 12 of his 14 goals in the German top flight last season.

Early signs suggest, however, that he is a really good fit in Eddie Howe’s team having been given plenty of service so far. His tally now stands at seven, which includes a brace against Chelsea just before Christmas.

⚽ Tip Nick Woltemade to continue scoring and finish next in the charts after Haaland at 33/1 with sport BET ⚽

🏅 Phil Foden – 33/1

• Goals: 7
• xG: 4.65
• Starts (sub appearances): 19 (1)
• Minutes per goal: 230.29
• Total shots: 44

Much like Manchester City in general, 2024/25 was a ‘down’ season for Phil Foden, who scored just seven times in 28 league outings – this, following his Premier League player of the season in which he scored 19 goals (and contributed eight assists).

Foden has bounced back this time around, matching his seven-goal tally of last season by mid-January. Those backing him to finish near Haaland in terms of goals, however, should note that Foden – as one of the Norwegian’s main suppliers – will also be setting up a chunk of his goals too!

⚽ Back Phil Foden to join his teammate Haaland at the top of the scoring charts at 33/1 with bet365 ⚽

Which players have scored the most Premier League goals over the last three seasons?

Erling Haaland has been the most consistent goal-getter in the last three seasons, netting a total of 85 strikes in that time. He enjoyed a record-breaking campaign in 2022/23, beating opposition goalkeepers on 36 occasions for Manchester City. He tends to hit the ground running: in each of the last three years, Haaland has scored at least eight goals in his first six appearances.

Mohamed Salah is second in the standings over a three-year period with 66 goals. Twenty-nine of those efforts came in 2024/25, when the Liverpool legend enjoyed a purple patch in winter: between the start of December and early January, he scored eight goals in seven matches to move clear of the competition. 

Third place in this particular category is claimed by Alexander Isak, who has found the back of the net 54 times since 2022/23. Ollie Watkins of Aston Villa is fourth with 50 goals in the last three campaigns. 

Premier League top scorers from the last three seasons

2022/23	2023/24	2024/25
1. Erling Haaland (36 goals)	1. Erling Haaland (27 goals)	1. Mohamed Salah (29 goals)
2. Harry Kane (30 goals)	2. Cole Palmer (22 goals)	2. Alexander Isak (23 goals)
3. Ivan Toney (20 goals)	3. Alexander Isak (21 goals)	3. Erling Haaland (22 goals)
4. Mohamed Salah (19 goals)	4. Phil Foden / Dominic Solanke / Ollie Watkins (19 goals)	4. Bryan Mbeumo / Chris Wood (20 goals)
5. Callum Wilson (18 goals)	5. Mohamed Salah (18 goals)	5. Yoane Wissa (19 goals)

Play Sky Bet’s Super6 game for free, every week of the Premier League season to win the jackpot!

🙋 FAQs about the 2025/26 Premier League top scorer race

1. Which teams are expected to compete for the Premier League title?

Arsenal are the favourites to win the Premier League title this season after opening up a seven-point lead in the early weeks of 2026.

The Gunners will be hoping this is finally their year after three consecutive seasons as runners-up. They are once again the toughest team to score against, having only conceded 14 in 22 games, and have no shortage of attacking options – with Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke and Viktor Gyökeres joining in the summer to boost their depth.

Manchester City will aim to keep the pressure on Mikel Arteta’s side after seeing their streak of four straight titles ended last season. While they do have the league’s most deadly striker, Pep Guardiola’s team still aren’t quite as consistent as their previous juggernaut teams.

2. Which teams are expected to compete for the Champions League places in the Premier League?

Aside from Arsenal, the bookies expect Manchester City, Liverpool and – following their surge up the table – Aston Villa to be in next season’s Champions League. Chelsea and Manchester United have both recently changed managers but are also within striking distance of the top four.

Newcastle are in UEFA’s top competition for a second time in three seasons, and could secure a top eight finish in the league phase. They’ve had an inconsistent domestic season but are also in the race after a good start to the new year.

3. Which teams are expected to be fighting against relegation from the Premier League this season?

In both of the last two seasons, the three promoted clubs have gone straight back down to the Championship but that won’t be happening this time around. Sunderland have had an excellent season and are in the top half at the time of writing. Leeds have also given themselves a great chance of surviving after picking up 25 points in their first 22 games.

Currently, Wolves, Burnley and West Ham are the three who look like they’ll be dropping down to the Championship. All three are cut adrift and Wolves are still in the single digits points-wise.

4. How can injuries, suspensions and managers rotating their teams affect the top scorer race?

Injuries, suspensions and rotation can have a huge effect on the outcome of a top scorer race. Their uncertain impact means every pre-season prediction is partly a guessing game.

Just last season, Erling Haaland’s bid for the award was derailed when he picked up an injury in April which kept him out for several weeks. Harry Kane was in the mix for the top scorer prize in 2018/19, only to suffer an ankle problem in April which allowed others to overtake him.

Eric Cantona was on course to challenge for the Golden Boot in 1994/95. In January of that season, he was sent off for kung-fu kicking a Crystal Palace supporter which saw him banned for the rest of the campaign, thus ruling him out of the race.

On the other hand, Luis Suárez missed six games of the 2013/14 campaign through suspension but still finished as top scorer, finding the back of the net 31 times for Liverpool.

Rotation can also make things more difficult for a player aiming to finish as top scorer. It is much better to belong to a team where you are virtually guaranteed 38 starts if fit, rather than playing for a club which has alternative options in attack.

📖 Read more about the 2025/26 football season

About the author

Greg Lea

Greg Lea is a freelance football writer from London. He predominantly covers the Premier League and has had work published by the Guardian, FourFourTwo, ESPN and others.

Follow Greg on X: @GregLeaFootball

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