While most people’s focus will be on the success of their team, there are those who might have one eye on individual glory as well. We examine who could pick up the biggest prize on offer to just one player – the Premier League golden boot.

As any football manager will tell you, a natural finisher can be worth his weight in gold when it comes to achieving a club’s long-term ambitions. Last season was a prime example as Robin van Persie carried Arsenal to third almost single handily. Without the Dutchman’s goals, the Gunners would have struggled to finish in the top half, let alone in a Champions League position.

Van Persie finished atop the scoring charts with 30 goals last season and is 10/1 to retain his gong this year, despite his future being up in the air as he looks to leave Arsenal. Given all the injury problems the 28-year-old has had in his career, it seems unlikely he will enjoy as prolific a season again, especially if he goes to either Manchester City or Manchester United where he will face plenty of competition.

The two Manchester clubs already have two of the best strikers in the Premier League and the co-favourites for the golden boot in Sergio Aguero and Wayne Rooney. Both players are priced at 8/1 to win the individual award after excellent campaigns last term. Rooney managed 27 goals for United last season, while Aguero netted 20 times in his first campaign in the Premier League. With City and United expected to be the main contenders for the Premier League title again, both players will need to have good seasons in front of goal if their respective teams are to be successful.

United and City also have some handy deputies for Aguero and Rooney, with United’s strike force featuring Javier Hernandez (20/1), Danny Welbeck (25/1) and Ashley Young (66/1). City can call upon Mario Balotelli (16/1), Carlos Tevez (14/1) and David Silva (66/1), but neither they, nor the United trio, are likely to win the golden boot.

To take that honour you need a player who the manager has either built the team around, ie Van Persie, or caters towards their style of play. While Liverpool as a team are something of an unknown quantity at this time under new boss Brendan Rodgers, you can bet Luis Suarez will figure heavily in his plans.

The Uruguay striker didn’t score as many as he should have last season due to a combination of his unsavoury antics resulting in a lengthy ban and some bad luck in front of goal. Suarez is 14/1 to win the golden boot this season and if he finds his shooting boots, might be worth an each way bet.

However, across Stanley Park, Liverpool’s rivals, Everton, surely have the best dark horse for the golden boot in Nikica Jelavic. The Croatian hitman joined from Rangers during the January transfer window and hit the ground running, ending the season with nine goals in 13 appearances.

The 26-year-old is 25/1 to finish top of the goal scoring charts this season and is surely worth a few quid given his uncanny ability to find the back of the net. With Steven Pienaar and Steven Naismith likely to be providing the ammunition, Everton and Jelavic could enjoy a good season.

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Nikica Jelavic

Jelavic will not feature in the clash due to being cup-tied but believes that United being favourites for the tie means nothing in the grand scheme of things.

Rangers were overwhelming favourites to beat Hamilton in the SPL on Saturday but needed a 90th minute goal from substitute Kenny Miller to secure a 2-1 win. Jelavic believes that Hamilton’s battling qualities can be used as inspiration to Rangers when they become the underdogs at Old Trafford on Tuesday.

Speaking about the fixture, Jelavic stated: “I think we have a chance.

“Manchester United is a big team but, in our game [against Hamilton], they were 100% and we were a little down and thought it would be easy. Maybe this could also happen in the Champions League.

“You never know. Maybe if we are 100%, we can take some points there.”

Meanwhile, United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted that he is still haunted by last season’s defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League, which he claimed his side “ballsed up”.

Arjen Robben’s late volley saw the German side progress on away goals but had United got through, Ferguson believes they would have reached the final. He went on to admit that he would have fancied his side’s chances against Inter Milan.

Speaking to the People, he said: “Last year still plays on my mind, that Bayern Munich game. Christ, I’m still not sleeping after that! I keep thinking about that game and keep getting angry about the way we lost it.

“We were in complete control until Rafael was sent off and then they came back into it. That result hurt and still does.”

Ferguson will be hoping to use this hurt to spur his side on this season. However, he is not taking Rangers lightly, accepting that Walter Smith will present a side which will be organised and difficult to beat. The United boss has stressed that he respects the Scottish side and certainly will not be taking them for granted.

Wayne Rooney (2/1 to be first goalscorer) is set to return to the fold after missing the trip to Everton due to the “terrible abuse” he usually gets at his former club. This would have been heightened following revelations about his private life although assistant boss Mike Phelan also suggested the England striker “wasn’t ready to play”.

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