A look at the two best strikers in the Premier League.
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Goals:
Aguero – 9
Costa – 9
Level on 9 goals each, there’s no doubt these two have been the best strikers in the Premier League and perhaps Europe this season. Both players will be the main contenders for the Golden Boot and will hope their superb form in front of goal can fire their sides to the title.
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Assists:
Aguero – 0
Costa – 0
Not that either side will mind, but the stats reflect that these two are perhaps in the category of more ‘selfish’ strikers, as neither have any assists for their respective teams so far. Still, their main job is to score goals and they are doing just that.
Shots per game:
Aguero – 4.5
Costa – 3.1
Statistically, Costa is the more prolific of the two in terms of putting away chances. The Spaniard has taken fewer shots than Aguero, with just over three per game, but scoring the same amount. It is certainly no bad thing that Aguero takes a lot of shots and it helps make him the great striker he is, but at the moment he is missing slightly more often than his rival.
Dribbles per game:
Aguero – 2.1
Costa – 1.3
However, Aguero is perhaps the more well-rounded attacking player, as stats show he is attempting more dribbles per game than Costa. The Argentine is a skillful runner and can cause problems in a variety of positions, dropping deep or drifting wide as well as showing his class in the box.
Location of goals:
Aguero – 8 in penalty area, 1 outside of box
Costa – 7 in penalty area, 2 in six-yeard box, 0 outside of box
These stats would also back up that claim, with Aguero scoring one goal from outside the box to Costa’s 0, while the Blues frontman is also more proficient at getting right in the thick of things, scoring twice from right inside the six-yard box. Still, it is also worth noting that Aguero has two of his goals from penalties in yesterday’s win over Tottenham, while Costa is not on spot-kick duty for Chelsea and has netted all of his from open play.Opponents:
Aguero – 6 goals v ‘top four’ sides
Costa – 1 goal v ‘top four’ sides
Aguero is certainly winning the battle of the big occasion at the moment, scoring six goals against opponents that are likely to be top four contenders this season, with four goals against Spurs and one each against Arsenal and Liverpool. Costa, meanwhile, has only scored one goal in a win over the Gunners, failing to get on the scoresheet against Manchester City, and may owe the Blues’ easy fixtures so far to his fine record at finding the back of the net.