Premier League Through the Eyes of the New Strikers: Who Holds the Upper Hand?

By: Joshua Oyetoro

“A proper No.9 gives you 20 to 30 goals a season. That’s the difference between finishing second and lifting the title.”

Those were Thierry Henry’s exact words when asked about the importance of a striker in any title-winning side. For some, it sounds like an oversimplification. But Henry knew better. With his ruthless finishing, the Frenchman was central to Arsenal’s Invincibles in 2003/04, scoring 30 league goals as they stormed to the title unbeaten.

Though not a classic poacher, Henry drifted wide, cut inside, and finished with trademark coolness. Yet the Premier League has also seen pure No.9s—Alan Shearer, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Didier Drogba, Fernando Torres—strikers who dominated the box and defined eras with their goals.

But football has evolved. Post-Barclays sponsorship, the Premier League has grown into a global, financially supercharged competition. And with that evolution, the striker’s role has changed. Clubs still spend heavily on their “goal machines”, some reap the rewards, others waste fortunes on flops. Yet one truth remains: Goals are the ultimate currency.

The top five clubs: Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, and Manchester United, have all gambled on big-name forwards in recent seasons. Some have struck gold, others are still searching. The 2025/26 campaign may well be defined by which of these new frontmen delivers.

MANCHESTER CITY

City’s £51m investment in Erling Haaland has already paid off handsomely: 85 league goals in three seasons. He began the new campaign with a brace against Wolves, reaffirming his place as the division’s most lethal finisher. The only question is whether City, without Kevin De Bruyne’s creativity, can maintain the supply line he thrives on.

ARSENAL

After three consecutive second-place finishes, Arsenal’s biggest problem has been a lack of a reliable striker. Their fourth-place ranking in last season’s xG (61.59%) showed they create chances but fail to finish enough. Enter Viktor Gyökeres—a £63m signing from Sporting Lisbon who scored 54 goals last season. On paper, he solves Arsenal’s puzzle. The challenge? Proving he can adapt to Premier League intensity.

LIVERPOOL

The defending champions endured the tragedy of Diogo Jota’s passing and the failed Darwin Núñez experiment. In came Hugo Ekitike from Frankfurt for £79m, who has already scored in both of his first two appearances. But Liverpool are cautious, past hype around Núñez turned sour. Aleksandr Isak’s deadline day signing could also be the spark that propels Liverpool to their twenty-first league title. With Salah as the creative spark, the Reds need their new striker to be ruthless if they want to defend their crown.

CHELSEA

Chelsea’s notorious “No.9 curse” might finally be tested with the arrivals of João Pedro (£55m) and Liam Delap (£30m). Both impressed in preseason and the Club World Cup. The club is desperate to rediscover its attacking identity after years of inconsistency, and their strike duo could be the key to climbing back into the title conversation.

MANCHESTER UNITED

Still far from their glory days, United ended last season 12th in xG (57.31%)—a damning stat for a club of their stature. With Rasmus Højlund struggling, United turned to Benjamin Šeško for £74m. The Slovenian carries the heavy responsibility of reigniting United’s attack and pushing them back into top-four contention, or even into a surprise title race. Notwithstanding, hopes are high that this season will be a far cry (positively) from what was a turbulent campaign last term. Højlund’s inability to live up to expectations has therefore given Sesko a herculean task, to bang in goals for the Red Devils and hopefully lead the team to a top-four finish, and perhaps a Premier League title charge.

At the end of the day, creating chances and possessing a striker who can convert them under pressure will ultimately set league winners apart from title challengers. Seeing through the lens of the ‘Big-Five’ strikers, some banking on potential, others on proven class, the fans are waiting to see how these strikers will influence their teams’ success in the league.

As Johan Cruyff once said, “If you create chances, the goals will come.” But only if you have a striker to convert them. That is what separates champions from challengers.

This season, the Premier League’s fate may rest on its new strikers. With over thirty games still left to play, the goals—and time—will reveal the truth