When one takes a glance at the Premier League top goalscorers list at the beginning of this season, they are immediately met with two forwards that they would have anticipated.
Erling Haaland characteristically leads the way with a sensational eight goals from seven, followed by Bournemouth‘s Antoine Semenyo (six).
Then, in third place, comes a wildcard name: promoted side Burnley‘s left winger, Jaidon Anthony.
The 25-year-old Londoner has served as the surprise of the season thus far with four goals in his opening seven league matches.
It’s a tally that, incredibly, is already halfway to his eight-goal return from 43 EFL Championship appearances last season.
Since joining the Clarets in the summer of 2024, initially on a season-long loan deal, Anthony has been a pivotal cog in Scott Parker‘s side.
In combination with those aforementioned Championship goals, Anthony also recorded seven assists.
He played an instrumental role on the defensive end in a solid outfit that conceded just 16 league goals last season.
Leeds United, the next-best defensive side in the 2024/2025 Championship, let in 30.
This Jaidon Anthony player analysis and scout report will examine the forward’s style of play, athletic and technical attributes, and his current role in Burnley’s tactical framework under Scott Parker during the 2025/2026 campaign and beyond.
Jaidon Anthony Stats
The pizza chart below visualises data from the 2024/2025 season, during which Anthony played for Burnley in the EFL Championship.
Jaidon Anthony Pizza Chart 2024/2025
Generally, Jaidon Anthony’s statistical profile paints the picture of a high-impact, possession-savvy winger.
He thrives in advanced areas, is a real threat on the ball, and contributes decisively in attacking phases, even if his defensive output remains secondary.
Anthony’s goal contribution per 90 ranks in the 90th percentile, a standout figure that reflects both end product and consistency in the final third.
The Englishman isn’t merely a volume shooter; his xG and shot metrics suggest he’s getting into high-value areas rather than relying on speculative efforts.
As a dribbler, his underlying data is rather promising.
Anthony’s dribbling and progressive runs are elite for his position.
He constantly advances play and beats defenders with intent.
Far from passive in build-up, the possession metrics paint a picture of a winger who’s comfortable dictating tempo and injecting verticality.
With duel and aerial win rates below 50%, it’s fair to say that the defensive metrics are more modest.
Anthony is definitely functional off the ball, but his value most certainly lies in what he does with it rather than without it.
Jaidon Anthony Finishing
As you may have gathered from the tremendous goal return, Jaidon Anthony’s main strength is his ability to finish consistently and decisively.
In this season’s Premier League, 44 players have registered 10 or more shots thus far, including Mohamed Salah, Viktor Gyökeres, and Bruno Fernandes.
From this very rich list of names, Anthony ultimately has the best shot on target percentage (58.3%).
The main contributing factor is his terrific attacking movement and instincts, which enable him to consistently pick up great positions for high-quality shots.
Take this example from the 1-1 home draw with Nottingham Forest.
As the ball is swung in from the left, Anthony shapes his body early, clearly anticipating a delivery beyond the near crowd.
He’s not charging in, but there’s intent in how he sets himself: ready to react if it breaks his way at the far post.
As the ball drops into the box towards the back post, the Burnley winger’s body language shifts; there’s a clear readiness to pounce, with his weight slightly forward and eyes locked on the ball’s path.
Like all great wingers, Anthony is very much anticipating a kind break of the ball falling at his feet.
Anthony reaps the maximum reward for staying on his toes.
At the moment of contact, he is compact and balanced: his right foot is planted, his left leg swings through cleanly, and he heads over the ball to keep the strike low and controlled.
There’s no snatch or panic in the execution; it’s a composed finish shaped by anticipation, with the timing suggesting he’d read the drop quicker than the Forest defenders around him.
Jaidon Anthony 1-v-1 Threat
Under Scott Parker, in possession, Anthony is very much a player who’ll stay wide on the left and hold his position.
It’s a pivotal role that helps keep the pitch stretched and the attacking shape intact.
Anthony is very right-footed.
The vast majority of the time, he receives the ball 1-v-1, and he’ll look to cut inside and get a shot or cross away.
His reliance on that side isn’t necessarily a weakness; if anything, it feeds into how decisive he is once he’s on the ball.
The former Arsenal academy product, whilst not lightning fast, is very comfortable receiving the ball into feet and displays an impressive quickness in creating promising angles 1-v-1 with the full-back to initiate a cross or shot from.
We’ll take a look at an instance where Burnley caught Preston North End out on transition.
Before the ball is played, Anthony’s body language is alert but measured: shoulders slightly angled, weight balanced, and eyes fixed on the ball carrier.
He’s not sprinting into space; however, there’s a subtle readiness in his posture that suggests he’s anticipating the pass and preparing to receive on the move.
With mammoth space to operate and no immediate pressure, he slows his movement and opens his hips, not to cross, but to shift the ball inside.
His body language is deliberate: an upright posture and a slight feint.
His stance shifts just enough to invite the full back one way before he angles his body and shapes to drive inside onto his preferred right.
Characteristically, Anthony adjusts his feet remarkably quicker to create a half-yard of separation for an effort on goal, albeit it’s one that he should hit the target with.
At the moment of the shot, Anthony has already shifted the ball onto his right, using the space to open up the angle.
Similar to the previous instance, his body is fully committed: his right leg drives through the strike, his left foot is planted, and his upper body leans over to keep it low.
Jaidon Anthony Crossing
Ultimately, as a winger on a direct side who are very much an underdog, it’s imperative that the winger boasts the capability to deliver a strong standard of crosses from wide areas.
Jaidon Anthony’s crossing game is built more on precision and timing than sheer volume.
He’s selective with his deliveries, but when the angle’s right, he can be a real threat.
Delivery tends to be targeted rather than hopeful.
He looks for runners, especially those arriving late into the box, rather than just hitting areas.
Crossing is often delayed until the angle is optimal; Anthony doesn’t swing early from deep, instead waiting until he’s closer to the box or has isolated a defender.
Since arriving in Lancashire, a clear change in his game has seen his crosses often following a moment of hesitation or feint, which helps create separation and disrupt defensive timing.
Whilst the winger is typically reliant on his stronger foot, this is quite a terrific whipped cross on his left.
It’s very noticeable how he delivers with sharp pace, especially when cutting inside; his crosses carry enough zip to beat the first man but still allow attackers to adjust their runs.
The ball travels with a clean trajectory, often arcing just above head level and dipping into dangerous zones.
As we can see, Anthony knows when to vary the delivery.
While he favours driven balls, he can lift it slightly when the far-post option is on, showing awareness of movement inside the box.
Conclusion
Jaidon Anthony offers Burnley a wide outlet with technical sharpness.
He is capable of holding width, isolating defenders, and creating shooting angles off his stronger right foot.
Yet, his impact also raises questions about whether his one-footedness and preference for cutting inside can be consistently effective against Premier League defences that are quicker to double up and deny space.
Therefore, the question surrounding Anthony now is whether he can evolve beyond his current profile, adding variety without losing the decisiveness and clarity that make him such a threat in 1-v-1 moments.
With Burnley increasingly reliant on moments of individual quality, their fate may well hinge on whether Anthony can sustain this form and keep unsettling defences when it matters most.
Given that the Clarets have begun with one win, a draw, and five defeats from their opening seven league fixtures, an identical record to their start in their previous dismal relegation season (2023/2024), it certainly looks like an uphill task.
