Teemu Pukki 7-1 Favorite for EFL Championship Top Scorer; Ivan Toney Given 9-1 Odds

• The EFL Championship in England is back for a new campaign this weekend with a new crop of players looking to win the title of top goalscorer
• With Aleksandar Mitrovic and Ollie Watkins headed to the Premier League, the field is wide open for goalscorers all around England’s second division
• Currently, the favorite for top goalscorer is Teemu Pukki from relegated Norwich City with odds of +700

Last season, the top goalscorer race in the EFL Championship came all the way down to the last matchday. It looked as though 24-year-old Ollie Watkins was going to win the Golden Boot until Mitrovic scored a brace on the second to last match of the season. With both of these players going up to the English top-flight, a new winner will be crowned this year. Will a veteran like Teemu Pukki or Lewis Grabban win it, or can a youngster like Ivan Toney steal the award?

With a tighter schedule because of the pandemic, these players will have to navigate fatigue, injury and loan moves if they want a shot at the trophy. For older players like Puuki, this could make the challenge even more difficult, despite scoring a blistering 29 goals just two years ago. Additionally, the only players on this list to win the Championship award before are Puuki, Andre Gray and Glenn Murray.

2020/21 EFL Championship Top Scorer Odds

Odds taken Sept 9

The Championship is a Brutal Competition

It is noted that the EFL Championship is one of the hardest competitions not just in world football, but in the sporting universe. With 46 games, the Championship is a true test of a player’s consistency and durability. Therefore, it makes sense that Teemu Pukki is the favorite to be the top goalscorer this season.

Pukki has been tested more than most players in two lifetimes, and with a goal in almost every other match of his short Norwich career, it would be silly to think he would not rank near the top of the list. However, analyze his form in the Premier League last season. While he started out extremely hot, he cooled off rapidly, and could not boost Norwich above the relegation zone.

At 30 years old, he is on the back-burner of his career and will have to stick out a grueling season without running into a major injury if he wants a shot to win. Lyle Taylor, Lewis Grabban and Glenn Murray are other Championship veterans that just might not be able to stand out from the pack in terms of goal scoring and the squads around them.

Ivan Toney Will Be a Force at Brentford

Unfortunately, Teemu Pukki is not your best bet to win the EFL Championship Golden Boot race. You should expect Ivan Toney to win and here is why. Brentford had the best offense in the Championship last year, with a staggering 80 goals to account for. They lost Ollie Watkins who was of course, their best offensive player, but that does not translate to them being poor as a team.

Brentford missed out on promotion by the narrowest of margins and then added one of the best attackers in League One to their lineup. Ivan Toney scored 26 goals last season and will serve as a direct replacement to Ollie Watkins. While they are not the same, Toney is younger than the rest of the pack and it looks like he has finally hit the moment in his career where everything is clicking.

Best Bet

Finally, the best bet is to put your money on Ivan Toney with odds of +900. The value here is really great, and only being 24 years of age, Toney has the best chance to put in a great campaign. His style of play fits in at Brentford, and Thomas Frank will continue to develop him more in the Championship, where he is expected to put in a ton of goals. Regardless, it should be an entertaining season for all the goalscorers involved.

My Pick: Ivan Toney (+900)