Any fan can check the top scorers list and jump to conclusions as to the deadliest player in the Premier League - that would simply be scratching the surface.

Liverpool fans will wax lyrical about Mohammed Salah while Tottenham and Manchester City fans fawn over the records of Harry Kane and Sergio Aguero.

Sportsmail's interest was piqued by the raging debate as to who is the deadliest player in the league, and with a specially-devised formula which factors in goals scored, shot conversion ratio, points won through goals and a number of other crucial areas in which to judge a striker, we look to pinpoint who really is top of the pile.

Sergio Aguero, Mo Salah and Harry Kane are regarded as some of the most lethal forwards

Here's the way it works: the top 10 players for each of the categories receive points based on their position in that group - first place will get 10 points, second will get nine, third gets eight and so on.

OUR FORMULA TO FIND THE LEAGUE'S DEADLIEST PLAYER Goals scored + minutes per goal + shot conversion ratio + point won with goals + big chances converted ratio - big chances missed = Deadliest player. Advertisement

There will be names you will now need to throw into your debate and others you will be asking as to where they are.

Big chances missed is the one category which sees points deducted and Opta define that as a 'situation where a player should reasonably be expected to score, usually in a one-on-one scenario or from very close range'.

Enough of the talking… the results are in. Let the arguments begin.

Goals -

The race for the Golden Boot is hotting up nicely as we pass the halfway mark in February but Tottenham star Harry Kane continues to lead the chasing pack. A 'one-season wonder' was a tag he quickly shrugged off and his goal return of 23 league goals is not matched by any of his rivals.

Despite a difficult start to the season, Jamie Vardy earns a commendable six points after his 13 goals helped shoot Leicester up the table.

This is a points battle that will not get much discussion inside Stamford Bridge with Eden Hazard and Alvaro Morata unable to do more than help prop up the list alongside Everton striker Wayne Rooney.

They will both need to re-write the script for Barcelona's visit on Tuesday.

Goals scored table sees Harry Kane one goal ahead of Liverpool's Mo Salah right now

10 points - Harry Kane (23 goals)

9 points - Mohamed Salah (22 goals)

8 points - Sergio Aguero (21 goals)

7 points - Raheem Sterling (15 goals)

6 points - Jamie Vardy (13 goals)

5 points - Romelu Lukaku and Roberto Firmino (12 goals)

3 points - Eden Hazard (11 goals)

2 points - Wayne Rooney and Alvaro Morata (10 goals)

Minutes per goal -

While the number of goals is a telling sign of a player's ability and more importantly reliability, the minutes-per-goal stat is a great indicator of how quickly a player is making an impact.

Many in the top 10 are regular starters but despite horror patches in form, both Charlie Austin and Oumar Niasse show this debate must widen beyond those in the top-six sides.

The Southampton and Everton pair sit either side of a goal every 100 minutes and with both having been used in and out of the team, they have made their minutes count in front of goal.

It's more difficult reading for the Chelsea pair but for Pep Guardiola and Manchester City, Sergio Aguero along with two other team-mates is testament to the barnstorming football they have produced this season.

City's forwards are devastatingly effective as the Argentine reminded us at home to Leicester.

Sergio Aguero is so reliable for Manchester City, scoring every 85.14 minutes on average

10 points - Sergio Aguero (85.14 mins per goal)

9 points - Mo Salah (92.55)

8 points - Harry Kane (96.87)

7 points - Charlie Austin (99.83)

6 points - Oumar Niasse (120.86)

5 points - Gabriel Jesus (127)

4 points - Raheem Sterling (128.13)

3 points - Anthony Martial (142.11)

2 points - Eden Hazard (147)

1 point - Alvaro Morata (155.1)

Alvaro Morata only picks up one point for this round as his minutes per goal is down

Shot conversion ratio -

This is an important category to factor in as a player's effectiveness can certainly be measured in analysing the number of shots that actually return goals.

The top point scorers here are some of the less familiar names from the previous two rounds as Everton pair Rooney and Oumar Niasse both make the top three spots.

Only City pair Aguero and Sterling represent the top six here - while those sides are getting the points, accuracy is not an award they are holding too dear.

Crystal Palace and Brighton both get their first representatives. This debate is widening with every round.

Wayne Rooney is deadly when given the opportunity according to the shot conversion stats

10 points - Wayne Rooney (30.3%)

9 points - Jamie Vardy (28.89)

8 points - Oumar Niasse and Javier Hernandez (26.92)

6 points - Glenn Murray (24.24)

5 points - Sergio Aguero (23.86)

4 points - Raheem Sterling (23.81)

3 points - Luka Milivojevic (23.33)

2 points - Charlie Austin and Shinji Okazaki (22.22)

Points won with goals -

In a transfer market where the game's top players are now unmoved unless a £100million-plus offer lands in the in-tray, it is only right to see how many points they are actually winning their sides.

'We would not have won without his performance today,' is a phrase many may utter as they leave the terraces but a crunching of the numbers shows exactly who is worth their weight in gold.

Dubbed 'The Egyptian King' by Liverpool fans, Salah's electrifying form has coincided with securing vital points.

Salah has been in electric form for Liverpool since joining from Roma in the summer

The African Player of the Year has done magnificently when you consider the last-minute winners notched by Sterling and Kane already this season; Klopp's summer signing is setting the benchmark for future signings to the league.

Romelu Lukaku remains Manchester United's sole representative - Alexis Sanchez's recent move has yet to garner the points many will eventually expect to see - as Mourinho's team continue to try to get the best form out of the Belgian striker.

Niasse refuses to exit from this debate with seven points won for Everton and set-piece specialist Luka Milivojevic has shown he is the man for the big occasions for Palace.

One more round to go before we begin knocking off marks.

Egyptian Salah has been worth his weight in gold for Jurgen Klopp's side this campaign

10 points - Mo Salah (13)

9 points - Harry Kane (12)

8 points - Raheem Sterling (11)

7 points - Sergio Aguero, Oumar Niasse, Romelu Lukaku, Sadio Mane and Wayne Rooney (7)

3 points - Luka Milivojevic, Alexis Sanchez, Riyad Mahrez, Marcos Alonso and Chris Wood (6)

Big chances converted -

Think back to Alexandre Lacazette in the final moments of the recent north London derby at Wembley.

Arsenal are 1-0 down and the Frenchman, on as a substitute, has a clear chance to level, only to squirm his effort wide; head in hands and the game was done, defeat confirmed.

Managers and supporters want their attacking players to show a clinical edge in front of goal and Leicester boss Claude Puel will have a big smile on his face to see Vardy set the tone with his 76.92 per cent conversion rate of big chances.

It is another strong score from Wayne Rooney and Raheem Sterling while Aguero, after a few early huge scores, musters just three with his average ratio sitting just above 50 per cent.

Someone keep these numbers away from Pep…

Jamie Vardy has the best big-chance conversion rate of any player in the Premier League

10 points - Jamie Vardy (76.92%)

9 points - Wayne Rooney (66.67)

8 points - Roberto Firmino (64.29)

7 points - Raheem Sterling (61.11)

6 points - Harry Kane (56.25)

5 points - Oumar Niasse and Shinji Okazaki (54.55)

3 points - Sergio Aguero and Glenn Murray (53.85)

1 point - David Silva (50)

Oumar Niasse continues to be part of the conversation for the deadliest player

Big chances missed -

Right, time to bring out the red pen, deductions at the ready.

As mentioned earlier, this is a category that focuses on the chances missed where there was a 'reasonable expectation to score', according to the stats boffins at Opta.

And while he has been rightly lavished in praise for previous category wins, Salah needs to hold his hands up and face up to his 10-point deduction.

Eighteen big chances missed is a league-high score alongside Palace striker Christian Benteke, four more than nearest rivals Kane and Morata.

There is a sense that the bigger names on show in this list have created more chances, scored more chances and therefore, by the law of averages, will miss more chances too.

But excuses really are excuses and Aguero, Jesus, Lukaku and Lacazette will know in certain moments they really should have done much better.

This will be a particularly painful category for Lacazette as it ensures he concludes on a minus points total - he really is out in a league of his own.

Alexandre Lacazette has frustrated Arsenal fans this season since joining from Lyon

10 points - Christian Benteke and Mo Salah (18)

8 points - Harry Kane and Alvaro Morata (14)

6 points - Sergio Aguero and Alexandre Lacazette (12)

4 points - Gabriel Jesus (11)

3 points - Romelu Lukaku and Richarlison (10)

1 point - Sadio Mane and Joselu (8)

Overall rankings -

Many are beginning to run out of superlatives for Sterling this season under the tutelage of Guardiola.

The England international looks a totally different player: quicker, smarter, clinical and his awareness with team-mates has improved immeasurably.

But when you consider the form of Kane, Salah and team-mate Aguero, for Sterling to be announced as Sportsmail's deadliest player in the Premier League remains an achievement.

Everton pair Rooney and Niasse are the shock pairing in the upper spots as their careers revitalised following the appointment of Sam Allardyce.

If this breakdown has done anything it has given extra ammunition for when the debate comes back around.

But remember - this is not a foolproof formula, and does not purport to say who the 'best' player in the Premier league is - it simply suggests who the deadliest in front of goal has been this season. And if you don't like the results, blame the stats...

Raheem Sterling finishes in top spot when all the factors above are considered

30 points - Raheem Sterling

28 points - Wayne Rooney

27 points - Sergio Aguero

26 points - Oumar Niasse

25 points - Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy

18 points - Mo Salah

13 points - Roberto Firmino

9 points - Romelu Lukaku, Glenn Murray and Charlie Austin

7 points - Shinji Okazaki

6 points - Luka Milivojevic and Sadio Mane

5 points - Eden Hazard

3 points - Anthony Martial, Alexis Sanchez, Riyad Mahrez, Marcos Alonso and Chris Wood

1 point - Gabriel Jesus and David Silva

-1 point - Joselu

-3 points - Richarlison

-5 points - Alvaro Morata

-6 points - Alexandre Lacazette

-10 points - Christian Benteke