🔗 Share this article Watkins Possesses the Advantage - But Calvert-Lewin Could Still Make the International Squad Only one goal in his first ten Premier League games this campaign had many doubting whether Dominic Calvert-Lewin's best days were over. But, a only four weeks afterwards, he stands as the hottest forward in England following bagging 7 goals in 6 straight games. His latest finish, in a tie against Sunderland, brought his total to eight, seeing him become the leading English scorer in the Premier League so far this season. A Stunning Resurgence The 28-year-old moved to Leeds United on a free transfer in the summer, after a nine-year period with Everton that was marred by injuries in its final stages. But, the statistics underpinning his revival in Daniel Farke's new fast-breaking 3-5-2 setup are truly impressive. His six-match scoring sequence puts him in prestigious company as just the 11th English player to score in six or more straight Premier League fixtures. To provide context, even England captain Harry Kane did not achieve a run of this length - his best remains two distinct five-match streaks. And the sole English striker to better Calvert-Lewin in recent years is Jamie Vardy, who embarked on an eight-game scoring streak for Leicester City in 2019. What's Behind the Scoring Form? What has made Calvert-Lewin so hard to stop in the past month? A latest opponent's manager described it aptly. "He has the impeccable timing," the manager said. "He's intelligent and a really good striker and he found the timing to arrive exactly when needed." That instinct and positional sense inside the box was what made him a beloved player at his former team. Pundits note the system adjustment to a 3-5-2 as a key factor, enabling a greater number of players to enter the box and occupy defenders, thus given the striker some extra space. "He is a archetypal centre-forward," noted a former professional. "For the goal... it was a exquisite little finish beyond the keeper, a typical centre-forward's goal." "I've experienced a lot since then. Lots of ups and lots of downs. A challenge of character and I've persisted and kept going... I've had faith and now I'm reaping the rewards." His manager has expressed no surprise at this hot streak, emphasizing that the player is "a top strikers" in the league. International Question Calvert-Lewin's return to form has predictably ignited talks of an England call-up. The former Sheffield United player has eleven England caps, netting four goals, but has not represented the country since the last European Championship. Pundits think the striker will be in the mix for the World Cup squad if he can keep up this level. "He looks as in shape as he has in a while," one said. "If he maintains this level of form... then he's going to be in a discussion for a World Cup place." Stiff Competition But, the battle for places behind Harry Kane is intense. Ollie Watkins of Aston Villa, following a match-winning brace against Chelsea, is right now regarded as ahead in the pecking order, according to some analysis. "If you compare the two players, Watkins possesses the edge in terms of using his pace to test teams," it was stated. "He also possesses the advantage when it comes to making a meaningful impact at a big competition." In the end, whether Calvert-Lewin is part of the squad may depend on how many out-and-out strikers the head coach decides to select. "I think it might depend on whether the manager includes two or three centre-forwards," an analyst summarized. "If it is three, he absolutely has a chance."
Only one goal in his first ten Premier League games this campaign had many doubting whether Dominic Calvert-Lewin's best days were over. But, a only four weeks afterwards, he stands as the hottest forward in England following bagging 7 goals in 6 straight games. His latest finish, in a tie against Sunderland, brought his total to eight, seeing him become the leading English scorer in the Premier League so far this season. A Stunning Resurgence The 28-year-old moved to Leeds United on a free transfer in the summer, after a nine-year period with Everton that was marred by injuries in its final stages. But, the statistics underpinning his revival in Daniel Farke's new fast-breaking 3-5-2 setup are truly impressive. His six-match scoring sequence puts him in prestigious company as just the 11th English player to score in six or more straight Premier League fixtures. To provide context, even England captain Harry Kane did not achieve a run of this length - his best remains two distinct five-match streaks. And the sole English striker to better Calvert-Lewin in recent years is Jamie Vardy, who embarked on an eight-game scoring streak for Leicester City in 2019. What's Behind the Scoring Form? What has made Calvert-Lewin so hard to stop in the past month? A latest opponent's manager described it aptly. "He has the impeccable timing," the manager said. "He's intelligent and a really good striker and he found the timing to arrive exactly when needed." That instinct and positional sense inside the box was what made him a beloved player at his former team. Pundits note the system adjustment to a 3-5-2 as a key factor, enabling a greater number of players to enter the box and occupy defenders, thus given the striker some extra space. "He is a archetypal centre-forward," noted a former professional. "For the goal... it was a exquisite little finish beyond the keeper, a typical centre-forward's goal." "I've experienced a lot since then. Lots of ups and lots of downs. A challenge of character and I've persisted and kept going... I've had faith and now I'm reaping the rewards." His manager has expressed no surprise at this hot streak, emphasizing that the player is "a top strikers" in the league. International Question Calvert-Lewin's return to form has predictably ignited talks of an England call-up. The former Sheffield United player has eleven England caps, netting four goals, but has not represented the country since the last European Championship. Pundits think the striker will be in the mix for the World Cup squad if he can keep up this level. "He looks as in shape as he has in a while," one said. "If he maintains this level of form... then he's going to be in a discussion for a World Cup place." Stiff Competition But, the battle for places behind Harry Kane is intense. Ollie Watkins of Aston Villa, following a match-winning brace against Chelsea, is right now regarded as ahead in the pecking order, according to some analysis. "If you compare the two players, Watkins possesses the edge in terms of using his pace to test teams," it was stated. "He also possesses the advantage when it comes to making a meaningful impact at a big competition." In the end, whether Calvert-Lewin is part of the squad may depend on how many out-and-out strikers the head coach decides to select. "I think it might depend on whether the manager includes two or three centre-forwards," an analyst summarized. "If it is three, he absolutely has a chance."