The 10 deadliest strikers in Europe

There’s been no shortage of goals, as the domestic season in Western Europe has started with a bang. With Manchester United averaging more than a jaw-dropping four a game, Bayern Munich boasting a goal difference of plus-17 and Barcelona having hit the net 13 times in just two games at the Camp Nou, 2011/12 looks like breaking all previous goalscoring records.

Here’s rundown of the top 10 strikers currently blazing a trail around Europe.

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Wayne Rooney: Manchester United

Having endured a nightmare 2010, as he failed to find the net for nearly 20 hours for club and country, the start of the new season has seen Rooney score an astonishing 11 goals in just eight games.

Sunday’s missed penalty against Chelsea aside, the 25-year-old’s blistering form has helped United record seven straight wins to start the new season and broken all previous records in the process. Two goals for England against Bulgaria earlier this month also broke a drought of nearly three years without scoring for his country.

This amazing run means Rooney has already muscled his way into the top 10 of the current European top scorers’ list and looks like being the man to catch in 2012.

Sergio Aguero: Manchester City

Manchester City’s most expensive acquisition of the summer is certainly living up to his price tag so far.

Just five starts and one substitute appearance have yielded eight goals already for Diego Maradona’s son-in-law, making £38 million look like a shrewd investment already. Never a particularly prolific scorer in his days at Atletico Madrid, where he averaged less than one goal every two matches, "Kun" has shown he can be deadly given half a chance.

It’s certainly been a stark contrast to the way he began last season, when Aguero failed to score a La Liga goal until Oct. 31. 

Lionel Messi: Barcelona

Not exactly a prolific start by the standards of Barcelona’s phenomenon, but five goals in four La Liga matches would be enough to satisfy most strikers about.

It’s no coincidence that Messi went two consecutive matches without scoring, and his team ended up drawing both 2-2 (against Real Sociedad and AC Milan). Last season, it wasn’t until February that he endured such a drought, but the Argentina international put that right, with a hat-trick in the 8-0 mauling of Osasuna at the weekend.

Another blank and another 2-2 draw followed on Wednesday, so Pep Guardiola will be praying Messi packs his shooting boots for Saturday’s meeting with Atletico Madrid.

Radamel Falcao: Atletico Madrid

The former FC Porto star is another big money signing to have settled immediately into his new surroundings.

Atletico Madrid shelled out £35 million for the Colombian, and after drawing a blank on his debut, the 25-year-old has since fired five goals in his last two La Liga matches, plus another in the Europa League against Celtic.

Falcao scored 17 in that competition alone on his way to a remarkable 38 goals in total last term. So don’t bet against him breaking the 40 barrier this time around.

Roberto Soldado: Valencia

A surprise inclusion on this list, but very much worth his place.

The 25-year-old has starting the new season in a rich vein of form for hometown club Valencia, following up a hat-trick against Real Sociedad on the opening day with winning goals against Atletico Madrid and Sporting Gijon.

With his team setting the early pace in Spain, it remains to be seen if Soldado can maintain his blistering start, but the ex-Real Madrid man will be hoping to get one over his former employers when they meet in November.

Antonio Di Natale: Udinese

Already renowned for his prowess in front of goal, Di Natale has simply carried on doing what he always does: score goals.

Five in five consecutive matches in a run that began against Arsenal in the Champions League in August is evidence that the 33-year-old is showing no signs of slowing down just yet. He will certainly have his eye on beating his record of 30 goals in all competitions last season and the Italian top scorer's crown.

Seydou Doumbia: CSKA Moscow

The Ivorian has hit a purple patch at just the right time for his club, CSKA Moscow.

With the Russian League heading towards its conclusion, six goals in his last five matches— including both in 2-2 comeback draw against Lille in the Champions League—mean Doumbia is one of the hottest strikers around.

He currently leads the top scorers’ chart with a total of 14, but CSKA will need more if they are to retain their title.

Mario Gomez: Bayern Munich

Earlier this month, the lanky striker was in the form of his life, as he bagged seven goals in just two matches for Bayern Munich.

But a groin strain picked up in the Champions League encounter with Villarreal means Gomez now faces a spell on the sidelines, although he still leads the way in Germany’s top scorers’ chart (a crown he also picked up last season). Bayern hope to have him back for the weekend’s fixture against Bayer Leverkusen as they attempt to stretch their lead at the top of the Bundesliga.  

Papiss Demba Cisse: Freiburg

The Senegalese hitman was the subject of much interest during the transfer window, but ended up staying at Freiburg.

And after 22 goals last season, Cisse has started the new campaign in the same vein with five in his opening six matches.  That’s even more remarkable with Freiburg struggling at the foot of the table, and it seems likely that he will be snapped up in the January transfer window by anyone willing to match the club’s valuation of around £14 million.

Aleksandrs Cekulajevs: Trans Nova

You may have never heard of him, but the Latvian is currently leading the race for the European Soulier D’Or (Golden Shoe), having fired a stunning 34 goals in just 28 matches in the Estonian top flight.

That’s still not been enough to lift his team Trans Narva to the top of the table, even though Cekulajevs is 15 goals ahead of his closest domestic rival.

But it will take some effort to take the continental crown that Cristiano Ronaldo walked away with last season. With two goals in the Estonian League only worth one in Spain according to the competition’s weighting system, the 26-year-old would need to notch up more than 80 to stand a chance of matching the winning total in 2010/11.