Not aimed at you but that's another lazy journalist statement, along with the 40 points for survival (34 has generally been enough in the last 10 years). 9 of the 20 top flight teams have a top scorer on 10 or fewer and the only teams in the bottom half with a top scorer in that 12-15 bracket are Leeds and Leicester, both of whom are in the relegation zone. What really makes the difference is the defence.
Top scorers (top scoring forward in italics if different):
- Man City: Haaland 36
- Arsenal: Martinelli/Ødegaard 15
- Newcastle: WIlson 18
- Man U: Rashford 16
- Liverpool: Salah 19
- Brighton: Mac Allister 10; Ferguson/Welbeck 6
- Aston Villa: Watkins 14
- Spurs: Kane 28
- Brentford: Toney 20
- Fulham: Mitrović 14
- Palace: Eze 10
- Chelsea: Havertz 7
- Wolves: Podence 6
- West Ham: Benrahma 6*
- Bournemouth: Billing 7; Solanke 6
- Forest: Awoniyi 9
- Everton: McNeil 7
- Leicester: Barnes 12
- Leeds: Rodrigo 13
- Southampton: Ward-Prowse 8; Adams 5