Teddy Sheringham has gone straight into the striker debate by backing Alexander Isak over Erling Haaland. Speaking to football365.com, he said: "For me, he’s the best striker in the Premier League. He is phenomenal. I’d like to see him win the Golden Boot this year, and not just to beat Erling Haaland but for the way that Isak plays the game, and how hungry he is for goals."

Sheringham's view lands with Liverpool and Manchester City due to meet next Sunday, and the two forwards are both scoring at a high level already. Isak joined Liverpool from Newcastle in the summer of 2025 for £125m, while Haaland has 169 goals in 205 appearances for City and has won the Golden Boot in three of his four Premier League seasons.

Isak's case

The argument for Isak rests on the way he has started the 2026-26 campaign, or at least the way Sheringham sees it. One source described him as having 4 goals in his opening 5 Premier League appearances this season, while the verified season total in all competitions is 6 goals in 11 appearances. However it is framed, that is a strong start after a first Liverpool season Sheringham said was hampered by injury and an attacking setup that did not work for anyone.

Sheringham also leaned hard on the forward's movement and finishing. He said Isak is "fantastic in the box", praised his timing and called his shooting "sharp". That view is hard to separate from the output. Isak's 4 Premier League goals have come in 5 appearances, and his 7.57 rating suggests more than just a short burst of finishing luck.

Haaland's numbers still set the bar

Haaland is still forcing any rival to answer with something very good. He has 5 Premier League goals in 5 appearances this season, 7 goals in 5 appearances across all competitions, and 2 goals in 1 Champions League appearance. City have also made the stronger team start, with 15 points from 5 matches and first place in the table, while Liverpool are sixth with 9 points from 5 matches.

That is why Sheringham's pick is a genuine statement rather than a contrarian flourish. Haaland's output is still elite, but Isak is matching him well enough in the league, and Sheringham is putting more weight on the Liverpool man's movement, hunger and box work than on sheer volume.

Next Sunday gives the debate a direct stage, with Liverpool hosting Manchester City and both strikers likely to be judged again on the same afternoon.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →