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Cristiano Ronaldo's Premier League return to Manchester United wasn't predicted by many. At the start of the campaign, many thought Ronaldo would be joining Manchester City. While this seemed to be a good deal for City, many of the Red Devils faithful were left heartbroken.
Cristiano Ronaldo came back to the Premier League as a Manchester United player in the summer
Like the exciting climax of a finely crafted tale, news suddenly emerged that Cristiano Ronaldo would be returning to Old Trafford. The football world observed the most romantic of homecomings as United fans rejoiced.
While Ronaldo has scored nine league goals this term, some unexpected names may end the season with more league goals than him. Some of the following individuals already have more league goals than Ronaldo, and others could overtake him by the time the Premier League season comes to a close.
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#5 Bruno Fernandes
If Bruno Fernandes could emulate his performances from last season, he would have had way more goals by this point of the season.
Fernandes has been a massive success ever since he made the switch to England in 2020. Last campaign, he broke the Premier League record for most goals in a single league season by a midfielder across competitions, scoring 28 goals. He has single-handedly led Manchester United to victories at times.
The current season hasn't seen Fernandes reach those highs. Many thought that his combination with national team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo would be unique. Instead, rumors of supposed friction have appeared time and again. Fernandes has also looked jaded at times this season, having been overworked in his initial one-and-a-half campaigns at Old Trafford.
Nevertheless, the Portuguese midfielder has still scored nine goals in the Premier League this term. If Manchester United make the top four, it will likely be due to Fernandes' improved performances. A remarkable goalscoring streak could result in the midfielder outscoring his team and clubmates, including Cristiano Ronaldo.
#4 Raheem Sterling
Manchester City are a club of riches, especially in on either flank. This is the primary reason why a footballer like Raheem Sterling hasn't been a regular at the club this season. However, he is still a vital cog in the City machine, and his performances have been decent whenever he has got his chances.
Sterling has been a brilliant footballer ever since his early days at Liverpool. The transfer to Manchester City brought him under the tutelage of Pep Guardiola, who has helped Sterling dramatically improve his game over the years.
While Sterling hasn't been a guaranteed starter in the Premier League at all times, he has still managed to make 23 appearances this season. The Englishman has wracked up 10 goals in those matches as well.
Unless Cristiano Ronaldo can quickly break his goalless streak, Sterling is likely to finish ahead of the Portuguese in the goalscoring charts.
#3 Michail Antonio
West Ham United have enjoyed a fantastic 2021-22 Premier League campaign so far. While the initial steam may have gone down a bit, they're still in contention for a European spot. Much of their domination in the first half of the Premier League season came thanks to Michail Antonio's brilliant performances.
Antonio has played in different positions since the start of his career, but has become an excellent forward in recent years. The Jamaica international is fast and physically strong, making him ideal for a team like West Ham. He had a fantastic start to the season, scoring four goals in his first three league matches of the season.
Like Cristiano Ronaldo, Antonio is also on a dry run at the moment. His eighth and most recent Premier League goal came against Crystal Palace back on January 1, and he has been goalless in seven games since.
A good run of form between now and the end of the season could do both Antonio and West Ham United a world of good.
#2 Jamie Vardy
Since his rise to fame with Leicester City, Jamie Vardy's incredible Premier League adventure has continued to reach new highs. Vardy's rise to power and his identity as one of the best forwards in England has been synonymous with Leicester's increase in stature.
Vardy is extremely quick and uses his pace well to get the best out of opposition defenders. Leicester have always been known to play a counter-attacking brand of football. Vardy has been the perfect candidate over the years for the Foxes and is still the leader of the attack at 35 years of age.
Vardy has once again been on form but has struggled at times in front of goal this season. He had a terrible misfortune with a hamstring injury which caused him to miss several games.
Vardy returned with a bang, however, and scored his 10th league goal of the season against Burnley last week. He will now hope to finish the season on a high as Leicester chase a top-half finish.
#1 Diogo Jota
When Liverpool bought Diogo Jota from Wolves, there were doubts about how well the Portuguese would fit in at Anfield. The transfer fee seemed to be on the higher side, especially because many believed he would be a back-up forward.
However, that has not been the case as Jota has cemented his place in the starting XI with some fabulous performances. He seems to be thriving under Jurgen Klopp and has been a significant goal threat this term.
Jota is a perfect fit in Klopp's system and has been able to push himself as a starter. Sadio Mane's inconsistency and Firmino's inability to score on a regular basis have meant that Jota, alongside Mohamed Salah, had to be relied on for goals.
Judging from his Premier League campaign so far, Jota has duly delivered.
Diogo Jota has already recorded 12 league goals this term and is the second-highest scorer. His tally is three more than what his national team captain Cristiano Ronaldo has managed. That gap only looks set to increase given the two players' contrasting form guides.
