While Leeds United took a big step towards the Premier League at Bramall Lane, Joel Piroe also took a big step towards securing the Championship Golden Boot.
No Leeds United player has been crowned the division’s top scorer since Chris Wood hit the net 27 times under Garry Monk back in 2016/17.
Almost a decade later, however, Elland Road’s flying, free-scoring Dutchman is doing his very best to ensure the current campaign ends with accolades aplenty in West Yorkshire, individual and team honours going hand-in-hand.
With five goals in five games, he is on his best run of form this season. Joel Piroe fizzed a ‘fabulous’ strike into the Sheffield United net on Monday night. Earlier in the campaign, when his place in Farke’s XI was coming under question, the £10 million signing from Swansea City might not have even attempted such an effort, let alone pulled it off.
Now, with the man level with Piroe in the standings – Norwich City’s Borja Sainz – on a run of 11 Championship games without a goal, the league title is not the only prize which could end up at Elland Road in May.
North of the border, meanwhile, another dead-eyed marksman with Leeds United on his CV is in pole position to secure a Golden Boot of his own.
Sam Dalby closes in on Golden Boot as former Leeds United youngster shines in Scotland
Sam Dalby has been arguably the signing of the season in Scotland. Dundee United only returned to the Scottish Premiership last year but, thanks largely to Dalby’s tally of 12 goals in 21 starts, The Tangerines could yet secure a European spot just one year after escaping the second-tier.
Talk about an impact.
And, with his Golden Boot chances under threat from Celtic’s irrepressible Daizen Maeda, Dalby responded with towering header to fire Dundee United past Motherwell on Saturday.
In one of the most closely-contested top-scorer battles across the continent, the Wrexham loanee continues to set the pace ahead of more established names from Celtic and Rangers respectively.
Dalby explains his stunning from in the Scottish Premiership
“From a personal standpoint, it’s been a great season for myself and that’s credit to the team and how well we’ve done,” says Dalby, this old-school 6ft 3ins frontman admitting he would be nowhere near the top of the standings without the sort of quality cross provided by Ryan Strain against Motherwell.
“The boys are putting in great balls in the box every week that definitely help me out!
“I feel like I’ve just tried to make it a big part of my game to get in the box and attack every ball that comes in. That always gives you a good opportunity to score. I just try and take it game by game. I feel like that’s served me well me this season so far, and I’ll just continue to do that.”
Dalby did not make a single Championship appearance for Leeds during his one and only season at Elland Road in 2018/19. In fact, before moving north of Hadrian’s Wall, had only scored 18 times in league football. Most of those goals came with Wrexham and Southend United in the National League.
“I am absolutely delighted for Sam,” Dundee United boss Jim Goodwin said back in December. “His commitment to come up to Scotland has been repaid as far as we are concerned. I have got great belief in the big fella, that is why we worked so hard to try and bring him to the club.”
Goodwin is at pains to point out, however, that looks can be deceiving. Dalby is not simply your meat-and-potatoes powerhouse.
“I think his game is really suited to the Scottish Premiership. People would look at him and think he is just a six foot three target man, but he is a lot more than that,” Goodwin added. “He is technically very good, links the game well, decent mobility for a big lad as well.
“He has scored a lot of important goals for us.”
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