Striking it rich at top of table

ALL is changing up top next season – amid the return of the authentic No.9.

For the last two years Manchester City and Liverpool have dominated the domestic scene... without a recognised striker between them.

It made absolutely no difference to either’s ability to plunder goals. City hammered home 99 last term en route to their second successive title and Liverpool thumped in 94, to finish second by a point.

Meanwhile, others among the so-called Big Six were playing catch-up in terms of operating with a false striker. And yet, as the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal prepare to kick off this season boasting three-pronged attacks – minus the out-and-out hitman – they suddenly seem passe.

For what have trendsetting Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp gone and done this summer? Buy two of the best young centre-forwards in Europe!

Erling Haaland’s £65million arrival at City from Borussia Dortmund was swiftly followed by the Merseysiders’ £65m capture of Benfica marksman

Darwin Nunez. Both are killer finishers. Haaland blitzed 62 goals in 67 Bundesliga games, while Nunez smashed 37 in 52 outings in Portugal.

Those records, allied to their new teams’ knack of scoring from all areas, makes it impossible to look beyond City and Liverpool in the title race.

Klopp’s men, who have sold Sadio Mane but kept hot-shot Mo Salah, could even topple the holders.

City, despite adding Haaland, have lost 20 goals from last season – after off-loading Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus to wannabes Chelsea and Arsenal.

But if the Blues and Gunners, third and fifth respectively, last time, are chasing success without an obvious striker, the others competing for Europe are not. Tottenham possess England’s soon-to-beall-time record goalscorer, Harry Kane. Throw in Heung Son-min and new boy Richarlison and they have massive attacking menace.

A second successive top-four finish is well within their grasp.The same may not apply to rivals Arsenal. Jesus is no out-and-out striker, after all. Expect them to be scrapping for fifth or sixth, alongside Thomas Tuchel’s toothless Chelsea – unless they find a replacement for £100m flop Romelu Lukaku.

Which should leave Manchester United very much harbouring top-four ambitions. New boss Erik ten Hag has striking options. Anthony Martial has been on target regularly in pre-season and Marcus Rashford is resembling his lightning, pre-Covid self.

And Cristiano Ronaldo might actually stop sulking, stay put – and score more goals.

Lest we forget, 2022-23 will be like no other campaign…as England fly to Qatar in late November for the first ever winter World Cup finals.

That ridiculous scenario, compounded by the Premier League resuming on Boxing Day (why?) means predictions are trickier than normal.

What is guaranteed, however, is that the authentic hitman is back in vogue in England – ensuring a sizzling shoot-out in the greatest league of all.