The Women’s Super League is now on hold for the winter break — and the race for the Golden Boot is on ahead of the division’s resumption on January 13.
In 2022-23, Aston Villa striker Rachel Daly equalled Vivianne Miedema’s record for most goals in a single season when she bagged 22.
We take a look at which players have made a fast start in the WSL’s goalscoring department this term.
Khadija Shaw (nine goals)
After a slow beginning to the season, Khadjia Shaw has burst into life at Manchester City.
Jamaica’s all-time leading scorer — who netted 20 WSL goals last term — followed up her strike in the 3-1 win at Manchester United with a 15-minute hat-trick in the 7-0 thumping of Tottenham.
And Shaw netted another treble in City’s 4-1 win over Everton, taking her to nine strikes from nine appearances.
She also boasts two assists from a hugely impressive first half of the campaign.
Lauren James (seven goals)
Chelsea ace Lauren James has been at the peak of her powers this season.
The 22-year-old scored a hat-trick in the 5-1 win over Liverpool before bagging a brace in the 5-2 victory against Leicester.
She has seven goals and one assist from nine WSL appearances, averaging a strike every 92 minutes.
James has also shone for England in recent times, netting six goals in her 20 international appearances.
Martha Thomas (seven goals)
Martha Thomas has been Tottenham’s shining star after joining from Manchester United in September.
The North Londoners sit sixth in the WSL table and their 27-year-old striker has recorded seven goals and an assist in 10 appearances.
Thomas scored on her Spurs debut in a 2-1 defeat at Chelsea, before netting a hat-trick to seal a 4-2 win against Villa in October.
And the Scotland star bagged the only goal in her side’s famous 1-0 victory over Arsenal before the winter break.
Elisabeth Terland (seven goals)
After scoring seven goals in 17 appearances last season, Norway forward Elisabeth Terland has continued to shine for Brighton by equalling that total in just 10 appearances this term.
The 22-year-old scored twice on the opening weekend to secure a 2-1 victory for the Seagulls at Everton, before finding the back of the net against Spurs and Chelsea.
And she bagged another brace against Leicester to save Brighton from defeat after they fell 2-0 behind on home soil.
Terland has also shown off her skills on the international stage, tallying seven goals.
Jill Roord (six goals)
Jill Roord has taken no time to find her feet at Manchester City, boasting a record of six goals and two assists.
The ex-Arsenal midfielder, 26, joined Gareth Taylor’s side from Wolfsburg in July and scored on her debut in a 2-0 win at West Ham.
Roord has impressed in all 10 of her WSL appearances so far this season, particularly in the 5-0 triumph over Bristol City where she netted twice.
City’s No20 arrived at the club full of confidence having bagged four goals for the Netherlands at the Women’s World Cup.