HURTING COUNTY COULD BE STUNG
Celtic splashed the cash to land Odsonne Edouard for around £9million and it’s beginning to look like money well spent.
Edouard has hit the ground running with four goals in three Champions League ties and at times his play has been electric.
Brendan Rodgers plans to team him up with fellow Frenchman Moussa Dembele this season but with his pal crocked Celts needed Edouard to rise to the occasion and he did with two excellent goals in Wednesday’s 3-1 win against Rosenborg.
Hoops fans are tipping him to net 30 goals this season and while that’s a tall order there’s no doubt in my mind he looks a good shout to be Premiership top scorer.
Dembele is not surprisingly the 10-3 favourite at Ladbrokes but Edouard has every chance of outscoring him and is 9-2 with the Magic Sign. Third favourite is Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos who hit 18 in total last season and got off the mark with the midweek winner at Osijek.
However, there are question marks over the Colombian and 5-1 at Ladbrokes is too short.
Last term’s surprise winner was Killie’s Kris Boyd who at some stages was available at 100-1.
Kyle Lafferty is 20-1 but often makes a slow start and it could be his new team-mate Steven McLean who gets among the goals with Hearts although he will miss any games on plastic. The former St Johnstone man is 25-1.
At a huge price is Livingston player-boss Kenny Miller. He’ll be carrying the hopes of his team and while I can see him reaching double figures I’d want 500-1 and not 50s.
Meanwhile, it took Mo Salah just 52 seconds to show he’s ready to terrorise English defences again next season.
The little Egyptian netted 44 goals for Liverpool in his first campaign but a shoulder injury in the Champions League Final took the shine off a great run.
He recovered to play in the World Cup but clearly wasn’t 100 per cent. But Salah returned to action in the International Champions Cup against Man City and off the bench took under a minute to score.
Jurgen Klopp has tied up his star for another five years with no release clause and it could be his best bit of transfer business – apart from signing a worldclass keeper in Alisson of course. Salah is 6-1 at McBookie to win the Premier League Golden Boot.
World Cup top scorer Harry Kane is favourite at 11-4 and unlike Salah takes the penalties but I’m backing the Egyptian to enjoy another stellar season. You can take less risk each way.
I’d rule out third favourite Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal but can’t dismiss the chances of Man City’s Sergio Aguero at 10-1 with 188BET and McBookie.
After a fantastic World Cup and impressive first season at Man United the Belgian Romelu Lukaku will have backers at 9-1 with Unibet and if the winner doesn’t come from Kane, Salah or Lukaku I’d be surprised.
I’ve already tipped Liverpool each way for the title and latest prices see them cut to a best 9-2 at McBookie behind Man City.