🔗 Share this article Watkins Holds the Advantage - Yet Calvert-Lewin May Still Make the International Squad Only one goal in his opening ten English top division appearances this campaign had numerous questioning whether Dominic Calvert-Lewin's best days were behind him. But, a only four weeks afterwards, he is the most talked-about attacker in England after bagging 7 goals in six back-to-back games. His newest strike, in a 1-1 draw against Sunderland, elevated his season's haul to eight, seeing him become the highest English goalscorer in the Premier League this campaign. An Impressive Return to Form The 28-year-old moved to Leeds United on a free transfer in the summer, following a nine-year period with Everton that was hampered by setbacks in its final stages. But, the data underpinning his resurgence in Daniel Farke's new fast-breaking 3-5-2 setup are genuinely notable. His six-game scoring sequence sees him in prestigious company as only the 11th English player to score in six or more straight Premier League matches. To put that into perspective, even England captain Harry Kane never managed a run of this length - his longest remains two distinct five-match streaks. And the only English striker to better Calvert-Lewin in the modern era is Jamie Vardy, who went on an eight-game scoring run for Leicester City in 2019. The Reason for the Hot Streak? What has made Calvert-Lewin so hard to stop in this period? A recent opponent's manager described it aptly. "He has the perfect timing," the manager stated. "He's clever and a really good striker and he found the timing to arrive just on time." That natural ability and timing inside the box was what established him as a beloved player at his previous club. Pundits highlight the tactical shift to a 3-5-2 as a significant factor, enabling more players to occupy the box and occupy defenders, which has created the striker a little more space. "He is a classic centre-forward," noted a former professional. "For the goal... it was a neat little flick beyond the keeper, a classic centre-forward's goal." "I've endured a lot since then. Lots of ups and lots of lows. A challenge of mentality and I've persevered and kept going... I've backed myself and now I'm reaping the rewards." His manager has expressed little astonishment at this rich vein of form, stating again that the player is "among the elite strikers" in the league. World Cup Question Calvert-Lewin's return to form has naturally fueled talks of an England call-up. The former Sheffield United player has eleven England appearances, netting four goals, but has not played for the country since the previous European Championship. Pundits believe the striker will be in contention for the World Cup squad if he can keep up this level. "He looks as fit as he has in a considerable period," one commented. "If he continues this level of form... then he's going to be in a debate for a World Cup place." Stiff Competition However, the battle for places behind Harry Kane is fierce. Ollie Watkins of Aston Villa, fresh off a match-winning two goals against Chelsea, is presently seen as leading in the hierarchy, according to some opinion. "If you look at the two players, Watkins has the advantage in terms of using his pace to stretch teams," it was said. "He also holds the edge when it comes to making a meaningful impact at a major tournament." Ultimately, whether Calvert-Lewin is part of the squad might come down to how many specialist strikers the England manager decides to select. "I think it might come down to whether the manager selects two or three centre-forwards," an analyst concluded. "If it is three, he certainly has a chance."
Only one goal in his opening ten English top division appearances this campaign had numerous questioning whether Dominic Calvert-Lewin's best days were behind him. But, a only four weeks afterwards, he is the most talked-about attacker in England after bagging 7 goals in six back-to-back games. His newest strike, in a 1-1 draw against Sunderland, elevated his season's haul to eight, seeing him become the highest English goalscorer in the Premier League this campaign. An Impressive Return to Form The 28-year-old moved to Leeds United on a free transfer in the summer, following a nine-year period with Everton that was hampered by setbacks in its final stages. But, the data underpinning his resurgence in Daniel Farke's new fast-breaking 3-5-2 setup are genuinely notable. His six-game scoring sequence sees him in prestigious company as only the 11th English player to score in six or more straight Premier League matches. To put that into perspective, even England captain Harry Kane never managed a run of this length - his longest remains two distinct five-match streaks. And the only English striker to better Calvert-Lewin in the modern era is Jamie Vardy, who went on an eight-game scoring run for Leicester City in 2019. The Reason for the Hot Streak? What has made Calvert-Lewin so hard to stop in this period? A recent opponent's manager described it aptly. "He has the perfect timing," the manager stated. "He's clever and a really good striker and he found the timing to arrive just on time." That natural ability and timing inside the box was what established him as a beloved player at his previous club. Pundits highlight the tactical shift to a 3-5-2 as a significant factor, enabling more players to occupy the box and occupy defenders, which has created the striker a little more space. "He is a classic centre-forward," noted a former professional. "For the goal... it was a neat little flick beyond the keeper, a classic centre-forward's goal." "I've endured a lot since then. Lots of ups and lots of lows. A challenge of mentality and I've persevered and kept going... I've backed myself and now I'm reaping the rewards." His manager has expressed little astonishment at this rich vein of form, stating again that the player is "among the elite strikers" in the league. World Cup Question Calvert-Lewin's return to form has naturally fueled talks of an England call-up. The former Sheffield United player has eleven England appearances, netting four goals, but has not played for the country since the previous European Championship. Pundits believe the striker will be in contention for the World Cup squad if he can keep up this level. "He looks as fit as he has in a considerable period," one commented. "If he continues this level of form... then he's going to be in a debate for a World Cup place." Stiff Competition However, the battle for places behind Harry Kane is fierce. Ollie Watkins of Aston Villa, fresh off a match-winning two goals against Chelsea, is presently seen as leading in the hierarchy, according to some opinion. "If you look at the two players, Watkins has the advantage in terms of using his pace to stretch teams," it was said. "He also holds the edge when it comes to making a meaningful impact at a major tournament." Ultimately, whether Calvert-Lewin is part of the squad might come down to how many specialist strikers the England manager decides to select. "I think it might come down to whether the manager selects two or three centre-forwards," an analyst concluded. "If it is three, he certainly has a chance."