'There are always going to be doubters' - Leeds United's 10-goal Patrick Bamford on critics and the Premier League Golden Boot

A striker whose missed chances were highlighted more often and more vociferously than his other contributions during the Whites’ title-winning 2019/20 season has hit the ground sprinting in the top flight.

His beautifully-struck penalty against Burnley brought up double figures, from just 15 appearances. Just four men have scored more in the Premier League this season.

Bamford does not expect his tally, which included a superb hat-trick against Aston Villa, to have converted doubters to believers, however.

“I have kind of proved people wrong that I can do it (in the Premier League), but now the fact that I have scored a few goals and if I don’t score again, people are going to be like, ‘he is a flash in the pan’,” he said.

“It changes as you keep going through. Say, for instance, even if I finish the season on 20 goals, next year it is going to be, ‘he is a one-season wonder, can’t do it two seasons in a row’.

“There are always going to be doubters, so, for me, I am just trying to prove to myself and keeping going along to see how far I can go really.”

Liverpool’s world-class talent Mo Salah is the man leading the Premier League Golden Boot race with three more than Bamford, giving the Leeds forward something to chase and work towards.

“Why not? If I don’t make it then at least I’ve set my standards high,” he said.

“It’s a big push but you’ve got to keep working and set your targets high and then you never know.

“It’s a good achievement (10 goals). I’m really happy. Don’t stop now, there’s a lot of hard work to be done, but it keeps me in touch with the top scorer.”

Hard work has become Bamford’s life at Leeds. Like any Marcelo Bielsa player he has to give his all in training and on the pitch he sacrifices for the team, battling centre-halves for aerial balls, making runs that give players on the ball an option or form a decoy, leading the press from the front and tracking back to try and win possession.

It’s a role he knows inside out, thanks to 87 outings during Bielsa’s tenure at Elland Road, but it’s not one he has perfected.

There is always something the Argentine and his side highlight that can be worked on and improved, as Mateusz Klich said recently.

Ten goals and 20 points can give Bamford and Leeds a great deal of satisfaction, but the hard work will go on.

“I think attacking wise we are brilliant,” he said.

“Defensively it’s the whole team, even though we’ve conceded a fair few goals it’s not the defence to blame. It’s the front from me backwards so hopefully that can get tightened up. It’s a work in progress.

“We can’t be too unhappy with the start we have made.”