"West Brom would say Maja" - Pundit wades in on Norwich City, Josh Sargent debate | OneFootball

Carlton Palmer has told FLW his verdict on who the best striker in the Championship currently is

Carlton Palmer has claimed that Josh Maja and Borja Sainz are in the conversation with Norwich City’s Josh Sargent for best attacking player in the Championship.

The US international has earned a lot of praise for his performances for the Norfolk outfit over the last 12 months.

In particular, he has made a strong start to the new campaign, registering four goals and three assists from nine appearances in the league (all stats from Fbref).

This has led to suggestions that he might be the best striker in the entire Championship.

But he faces stiff competition in that department from players across the league, including from the likes of Maja, Duncan Watmore and Joel Piroe.

Carlton Palmer delivers Josh Sargent verdict

Palmer believes that Maja and Sainz have both been at least as good as Sargent has been this year, pointing out their better record in front of goal.

While he praised the 24-year-old’s hold up and link up play, he has claimed that the best striker should be judged predominantly on their ability in front of goal.

“The question has been asked or thrown around, is Norwich City’s Josh Sargent the best number nine in the Championship,” Palmer told Football League World.

“Well, listen, he’s having a very good start to the season, but Josh has four goals, three assists in nine games played.

“Borja Sainz has seven goals, two assists, nine games played.

“But [Josh] Maja at West Bromwich Albion has got seven goals, one assist in nine games, so I think there’s an argument that he’s not the top striker in the Championship, certainly in goals he’s not the top striker.

“But he is a very good player, and he’s playing very, very well for Norwich City.

“I would say that West Brom would say Maja, given what he’s brought to the table, would be the top striker in the division.

“Obviously, goals dictate where you are and Josh has only got four goals, his teammate Sainz has got seven and Maja has seven.

“So, he’s there or thereabouts as it stands with goals scored, he’s in the top four in the division.

“But he’s not the top striker, but he does bring a lot to the table with his hold up play, his link up play.

“He’s a very, very good striker, and he’s very important for Norwich City.”

The Championship golden boot race

Maja and Sainz currently lead the top goal-scorer charts in the Championship after nine games, with seven each.

Watmore is next on five, while a number of players have scored four, including Sargent, as well as Piroe, Gustavo Hamer, Yuki Ohashi and Tom Cannon, who bagged all of his four in one game.

Interestingly, Maja has accumulated the most expected goals (xG) so far this season at 6.7, while Sargent is second with 5.2.

Maja has also averaged 0.26 xG per shot compared to Sargent’s 0.18, which is a very impressive tally at this early stage of the campaign.

Sargent’s overall play makes him one of the Championship’s best

Sargent’s quality has come on leaps and bounds over the last 12 to 18 months, and he is continuing to improve under new manager Johannes Hoff Thorup.

The American already has more assists to his name this season than he achieved last year, while still contributing goals of his own consistently.

He is becoming a top all-round player, which puts him at the top of many peoples’ lists for best striker in the division.

But if Maja can keep scoring at this rate then it will be hard to deny him that title, as he could be on course to bag 30 this campaign if he can stay fit and at his best level.