Golden Shoe 2017-18: Top Goalscorers in Europe, Updated Points on March 5

Lionel Messi and Mohamed Salah each scored over the weekend to create a four-way tie at the top of the standings in the European Golden Shoe alongside Harry Kane and Edinson Cavani.

Messi's free-kick decided Barcelona's 1-0 win with Atletico Madrid in La Liga, while Salah found the net against Newcastle United in a 2-0 victory for Liverpool at Anfield in the Premier League.

Here are the standings:

T1. Harry Kane, Tottenham Hotspur: 24 goals x 2.0 difficulty factor = 48.0 points

T1. Mohamed Salah, Liverpool: 24 x 2.0 = 48.0 

T1. Lionel Messi, Barcelona: 24 x 2.0 = 48.0

T1. Edinson Cavani, Paris Saint-Germain: 24 x 2.0 = 48.0 

5. Ciro Immobile, Lazio: 23 x 2.0 = 46.0

6. Jonas, Benfica: 30 x 1.5 = 45.0

7. Sergio Aguero, Manchester City: 21 x 2.0 = 42.0 

T8. Luis Suarez, Barcelona: 20 x 2.0 = 40.0

T8. Robert Lewandowski, Bayern Munich: 20 x 2.0 = 40.0

10. Neymar, Paris Saint-Germain: 19 x 2.0 = 38.0

Rules: Every European leagues has been assigned a difficulty factor between one and two by UEFA, which is multiplied by a player's goals to calculate his points tally.

The continent's top five leagues have a maximum difficulty rating of two, and so goals scored in them are worth two points each, whereas in the Portuguese Primeira Liga, for example, goals are worth just 1.5 points. 

Another week, another milestone for Messi.

The Argentinian talisman curled a free-kick past Jan Oblak to beat Atletico on Sunday, and it was his 600th career goal for club and country, having netted 61 for his national side and 539 for Barcelona:

Former Barcelona striker Gary Lineker summarised his feelings on Messi following the landmark:

As Lineker also noted, the goal—his third from a direct free-kick in his last three La Liga games—was significant in the context of Barca's season.

It separated the Blaugrana from their closest rivals in Spain's top flight, and they're now eight points clear of Los Rojiblancos with 11 matches remaining.

That should give Barca the breathing room they need to turn their focus to the UEFA Champions League, a trophy they'll be desperate to get their hands on again after witnessing rivals Real Madrid lift it three times in four seasons.

Messi might also pick up the Golden Shoe come the end of the season, but along with Kane and Cavani, he'll also have Salah to contend with.

LINDSEY PARNABY/Getty Images

The Egyptian broke the deadlock against Newcastle after being fed through by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to surpass the feat of former Reds hitman Luis Suarez, per football journalist Leanne Prescott:

He's also closing in on the accomplishment of another Liverpool great, per football writer Joel Rabinowitz:

Reds fans will be hoping he can maintain his form in front of goal in Liverpool's next Premier League outing, which takes them to Old Trafford.

If they can beat Manchester United there, it will put them in the driving seat to finish second behind Manchester City and ahead of the Red Devils.