Leeds striker scored more goals than Dwight Gayle this season but the Newcastle man netted more from open play.
Leeds United’s Chris Wood celebrates
Leeds United striker Chris Wood surpassed expectations this season by finishing the campaign as the Championship top scorer.
He might have been pipped to the honour had Newcastle forward Dwight Gayle not been injured for the final few weeks of the season, but the former Crystal Palace man can console himself that his team clinched promotion to the Premier League anyway.
Newcastle United’s Dwight Gayle celebrates scoring their first goal
Gayle was a big money signing for Newcastle last summer, and his goalscoring record stands up well.
There is a case to be made that his record is superior to Leeds hero Chris Wood, in two regards.
Gayle scored three more goals than Chris Wood from open play, and netted his in 12 fewer games than the New Zealand international.
| Team | Goals from Open Play | Goals | Goals per game | Appearances | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwight Gayle | Newcastle | 20 | 23 | 0.72 | 32 |
| Chris Wood | Leeds | 17 | 27 | 0.61 | 44 |
| Tammy Abraham | Bristol C | 16 | 23 | 0.56 | 41 |
Newcastle United’s Dwight Gayle scores against Leeds
Gayle’s goals per game ratio is thereby superior to Chris Wood, although both better the next best striker, Bristol City loan sensation Tammy Abraham.
Both strikers were named in the EFL’s Team of the Season, and it is the Newcastle man who can claim to be the more efficient of the two.
The big challenge will be to translate his form into the Premier League next season, while for Wood there are areas he can work on to become even more dangerous in the Championship in 2017/18.
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