Watkins Maintains the Edge - Yet Calvert-Lewin Could Still Make the World Cup

A solitary goal in his first ten Premier League games this season had many questioning whether Dominic Calvert-Lewin's prime were in the past.

But, a only four weeks later, he stands as the most discussed striker in England after bagging 7 goals in 6 consecutive games.

His most recent strike, in a tie against Sunderland, elevated his season's haul to eight, establishing him as the highest English scorer in the Premier League so far this season.

A Stunning Resurgence

The 28-year-old moved to Leeds United on a free transfer in the summer, after a nine-year period with Everton that was marred by setbacks in its latter stages.

But, the numbers supporting his resurgence in Daniel Farke's new counter-attacking 3-5-2 formation are truly impressive.

His six-game scoring streak places him in elite company as just the 11th English player to score in six or more consecutive Premier League fixtures.

To frame that statistic, even England captain Harry Kane did not achieve a run lasting this many games - his longest stands at two individual five-match streaks.

And the sole English striker to outdo Calvert-Lewin in recent memory is Jamie Vardy, who embarked on an eight-game scoring run for Leicester City in 2019.

The Secret to the Purple Patch?

What has made Calvert-Lewin so hard to stop in the past month? A previous opponent's manager summed it up perfectly.

"He has the impeccable timing," the manager remarked. "He's clever and a genuinely top-class striker and he found the timing to arrive just on time."

That nose for goal and positional sense inside the penalty area was what established him as a beloved player at his former team.

Pundits highlight the tactical shift to a 3-5-2 as a significant factor, allowing a greater number of players to occupy the box and occupy defenders, thereby provided the striker some extra space.

"He is a archetypal centre-forward," observed a former professional. "For the goal... it was a neat little touch beyond the keeper, a classic centre-forward's goal."

"I've endured a lot since then. Lots of ups and lots of downs. A challenge of mentality and I've hung in there and kept going... I've backed myself and here I am now."

His manager has voiced no surprise at this purple patch, stating again that the player is "one of the best strikers" in the league.

The England Conversation

Calvert-Lewin's resurgence has inevitably sparked conversations of an England recall.

The former Sheffield United player has eleven England caps, with four goals, but has not featured for the country since the last European Championship.

Observers believe the striker will be in contention for the World Cup squad if he can keep up this form.

"He looks as fit as he has in a while," one commented. "If he maintains this level of form... then he's going to be in a discussion for a World Cup place."

Intense Competition

Yet, competition for places supporting Harry Kane is incredibly tough.

Ollie Watkins of Aston Villa, coming off a match-winning double versus Chelsea, is currently seen as leading in the pecking order, according to some opinion.

"If you look at the two players, Watkins has the edge in terms of using his pace to get behind teams," it was noted.

"He also holds the advantage when it comes to making a decisive impact at a big competition."

In the end, whether Calvert-Lewin is part of the squad might come down to how many specialist strikers the England manager decides to take.

"I think it might come down to whether he takes two or three centre-forwards," an pundit summarized. "If it is three, he absolutely has a chance."