Zlatan’s Golden Boot hopes all but over as three-game ban looms

Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s odds of landing this season’s Premier League Golden Boot have taken a hit after it was confirmed that the Manchester United ace will serve a three-game ban.

With 15 goals for the campaign thus far, the Swedish star was battling Diego Costa, Harry Kane, Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez for the accolade.

But Ibrahimovic will now miss the next two league games – and the Emirates FA Cup clash with Chelsea – after admitting a charge of violent conduct in the clash with Bournemouth last Saturday.

The forward was found guilty of elbowing the Cherries’ Tyrone Mings.

And the ban has forced out traders to overhaul his odds of being the league’s top scorer during his inaugural campaign in England.

Previously as short as 5/1, Zlatan is all but out of the running at 12s.

The 35-year-old is four goals behind current leader Harry Kane, and that margin is only likely to grow during his enforced absence.

The Tottenham number 10 is now the even-money favourite, ahead of Everton’s Lukaku at 7/2.

Chelsea’s Costa is 4/1, while Arsenal ace Sanchez is available at 7s.

That foursome are separated by just two goals as we approach the business end of the season.

According to the odds, Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero is the only other man in contention, but with seven goals less than Kane, the Argentine has a lot of work to do at 10/1.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing