The Premier League’s fastest players before first 2023/24 international break

Pace is more important than ever in football. With defensive lines pushing higher and higher up the pitch, there is a greater need for speedsters capable of exploiting the space left in behind.

This is particularly true in the Premier League where the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool have popularised the high line, while the greater intensity of matches in general means speed and acceleration are increasingly significant.

The Premier League have revealed which players have registered the highest sprint speeds so far this season, with two players ranking twice inside the top ten.

Below are the players quickest off the mark this season.

10. Pedro Neto – Wolverhampton Wanderers

The diminutive winger has lightning fast feet and is able to glide past opposition defenders with ease at his best, but he is also darn quick.

Neto showed his pace against Crystal Palace, hitting the tenth quickest sprint in the Premier League this season, while also registering two assists for the Old Gold in a 3-2 defeat.

Sprint speed: 34.82km/h

9. Pedro Neto – Wolverhampton Wanderers

Just to prove how quick Neto is, here he is again at number nine. On this occasion, Manchester United were the opponents having to keep pace with the Portuguese attacker in what was undoubtedly an unenviable task for Luke Shaw.

While only 0.02km/h quicker than his sprint several weeks later against Palace, it’s still a pretty impressive achievement to rank twice in the top ten.

Sprint speed: 34.84km/h

8. Anthony Elanga – Nottingham Forest

Another winger who has hit blistering speeds in the opening weeks of the season is new Nottingham Forest signing Anthony Elanga.

The Swede has already made his mark with some impressive performances since arriving from Old Trafford, with his pace one of his standout attributes. Sheffield United’s defenders know that all too well after Elanga clocked the eighth fastest sprint of the season against the Blades in gameweek two.

Sprint speed: 34.88km/h

7. Ameen Al Dakhil – Burnley

The only defender to make the top ten, Al Dakhil hit incredible speeds in his debut Premier League game against Manchester City on the opening night of the season.

The two-cap Belgian international should have no issues using his recovery speed to get him out of hot bother in the English top-flight.

Sprint speed: 34.97km/h

6. Alejandro Garnacho – Manchester United

Garnacho has certainly caught plenty of people’s attention since breaking through at Manchester United, partly as a result of his incredible speed and trickery.

The 19-year-old has shown glimpses of greatness, normally from the United bench, and hit a speed of just over 35km/h (20mph) against Tottenham Hotspur in a 2-0 defeat in north London.

He is not the quickest Man Utd player this season though…

Sprint speed: 35.01km/h

5. Rasmus Hojlund – Manchester United

That’s because summer signing Rasmus Hojlund, weary back and all, is the quickest United player this season.

Having come off the bench against Arsenal before the international break, the £72m arrival exhibited his magnificent speed on several occasions, running in behind Gabriel with frightening pace.

Comparisons have been drawn between the forward and Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, and it would be interesting to see a foot race between the two Nordic giants.

Sprint speed: 35.45km/h

4. Adama Traore – Fulham

Adama Traore’s place among the top speedsters was guaranteed, it was more a question of where he would pop up. Unfortunately for the Spaniard, he has settle for fourth, which is still pretty impressive given he has only played around 35 minutes of football for Fulham this campaign.

The baby-oiled pace merchant clocked his highest speed after coming on against Arsenal, but he is guaranteed (surely?) to better his total at some point this season.

Sprint speed: 35.55km/h

3. Anthony Gordon – Newcastle United

Gordon may have made a slow start to life at Newcastle, but he has certainly made a quick start to the new Premier League season.

The 22-year-old was particularly impressive on the opening day during a 5-1 demolition of Aston Villa and has already provided a goal and an assist this season for the Magpies.

Sprint speed: 35.63km/h

2. Anthony Gordon – Newcastle United

Just like Pedro Neto, Gordon has managed to worm his way into this list twice after beating his own top speed against Manchester City several weeks ago.

The former Everton man added another 0.04km/h to his sprint against Villa, even giving Kyle Walker a run for his money at the Etihad.

Sprint speed: 35.67km/h

1. Dominic Solanke – Bournemouth

Perhaps not the name that you would automatically place at the top of this list, Dominic Solanke demonstrated just how quick he is during Bournemouth’s clash with Tottenham earlier in the season.

The Cherries’ star striker is the only player to have surpassed 36km/h in the Premier League so far and opposition defences may have to keep an extra eye on the forward in the coming weeks.

Sprint speed: 36.10km/h

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