Arsenal legend and Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson has backed Norwich forward Teemu Pukki to score up to 25 goals this season.
Merson says that he will be shocked if Norwich are relegated and has predicted Pukki to score between 20 and 25 Premier League goals.
As quoted by The Pink’Un, Merson said this:
I watched him play against Liverpool and I thought: He is going to score goals. His movement is absolutely different class.
The way they play – attack, attack, attack – he will score goals. And I will now be shocked if they do not stay up. The reason I say that is because he will score 20-25 goals and how many teams have ever gone down with a player who scored that many goals?
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Is Merson’s prediction too unrealistic?
Whilst it is not completely out of the question that Pukki could go on to score 20 Premier League goals this season, it would be an extraordinary feat.
You have to take into consideration that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Mo Salah and Sadio Mane shared the Golden Boot last season with just 22 goals each – it would be quite the achievement for Pukki to come that close to players of their quality – especially in a newly-promoted side.
Backing Pukki to score between 10 and 15 goals may be more realistic. For example, Raul Jimenez led the line for newly-promoted Wolves last season and managed to bag 13 goals to ensure their success in the league.
However, it must be said that it is great to see pundits praising Norwich and their players, with Pukki deserving of praise after his hat-trick against Newcastle.
