Matt Piper Predicts Jamie Vardy’s Continued Pursuit of Premier League Top 10 Goalscorers

Former Leicester City winger Matt Piper has expressed his conviction that Jamie Vardy will achieve 150 Premier League goals during the current season. This belief follows the 37-year-old’s recent goal against Brighton, which brought him within eight goals of matching Michael Owen’s record. Speaking on BBC Radio Leicester’s When You’re Smiling podcast, Piper stated: “The only thing that would stop him doing it this season is maybe injury. He is getting older, so he will pick up little niggles here and there, but we have just got to hope that he has a season clean from injury.” He continued, “If he does, I think he will get there. Let’s go one step further: could he get into the Premier League’s all-time top 10 goalscorers this season? I think why not, especially now we have Ruud [van Nistelrooy] as manager!” Piper noted that Jermain Defoe currently occupies the tenth position with 162 goals, suggesting Vardy is unlikely to reach that milestone this season. He then added, “Vardy probably won’t get there this season but he will keep playing until he gets into that top 10.” He clarified, “I’m not saying that in jest, I’m being serious. But, if he doesn’t get there [in his career], it doesn’t matter.” Piper lauded Vardy’s performance level as “magnificent,” emphasizing that he only began playing at the top-flight level at 27 years old, yet has accumulated a significant number of goals and developed into the player he is today. He also referenced Enzo Maresca’s assertion that Vardy surpasses Wayne Rooney and Harry Kane. He concluded by stating that Vardy’s inclusion in the top 10 would be “amazing” and “much deserved,” given his career achievements, stressing that his playing career is far from over.