This season’s two top scorers, Robin van Persie (18) and Luis Suárez (16), have been central to Manchester United and Liverpool teams who have had varying levels of success. Two very different players stylistically, the pair have established themselves as the Premier League’s striking elite.

Van Persie’s game is a clinical one, and with the ability to score goals of every description from almost anywhere on the pitch, the Dutchman has carried on for United where he left off with Arsenal.

Indefatigable in winning the ball back from the opposition, creative with it, Suárez has already scored five more goals this season than he did in the whole of 2011/12. With the January arrival of Daniel Sturridge from Chelsea, and the early signs that his signing could be the perfect foil for Suárez, the Uruguayan is currently enjoying his best spell in a Liverpool shirt.

Van Persie’s stellar return of 30 goals for Arsenal in 2011/12 ensured he won both the Professional Footballers’ Association’s and Football Writers’ Association’s Player of the Year and with 9 assists to his name, he was demonstrably superior to Luis Suárez who finished the season with 11 goals and 3 assists.

The stats show that whilst van Persie outperformed Suárez last season, Suárez has very much closed the gap this season.

Robin van Persie and Luis Suárez goal attempt stats 2012/13

What’s perhaps most interesting is that van Persie is often attributed as being the most proven finisher in the league, yet his clear-cut chance conversion of 39% is eclipsed by Suárez’s 52%. More than that, Suárez is managing a shot every 21 minutes compared to van Persie’s 26 minutes.

However, van Persie is averaging a goal in the league every 103 minutes whilst Suárez registers every 126 minutes, and that is arguably the most telling difference.