Top 10 fastest Premier League forwards in 2022-23

Mo Salah and Adama Traore were topping the speed chart last season

England's top football division, the Premier League, is home to the fast and the furious. The game is at its most dynamic in this league, barely giving players a chance to catch their breath. The league is rigged against the unhurried, while those with a breakneck pace have a natural edge.

Speed is a key component of modern-day football in every area of the pitch, and it can be an unforgiving sport if a player is a few yards too slow.

Strikers have a serious advantage if they can sprint past their markers onto through balls, while defenders need to have a decent turn of pace if they want to keep up. Of course, speed over a distance is but one component of a player's arsenal, and they must combine it with strength, fitness, game intelligence, and skill on the ball. Nevertheless, a strong sprinter has a solid base from which to build.

Here we look at some of the fastest footballers of this season:

10. Adama Traore (Wolves) - 35.56km/hr

Adama is a complete beast on the field; his physical strength and his speed are his biggest strengths. It is not very surprising to see him on the list. Even with a strong, muscular body, his speed is not affected at all. The hulking winger is frighteningly rapid when in full motion; there are not many players in the Premier League who can beat him in pace. That marriage of pace, power, and precision is utterly ruthless.

9. Alex Iwobi (Everton) - 35.72km/hr

Alex Iwobi’s biggest strength, and something that makes him more suited to playing as a midfielder than a winger, is his excellent technical quality, which makes him a reliable passer of the ball and a ball magnet for his team. But the pace is something at which he is also very good. He continuously rotates position with his fullback, and that requires strength and speed. His ball-retaining capability is also something very special.

8. Allan Saint-Maximin (Newcastle United) - 35.73km/h

The blockbuster Frenchman has been an incredible asset for Newcastle United. Saint-Maximin can cover a lot of ground with his blazing speed and stamina, which aids him in clocking high speeds in the dying moments of the games. The 26-year-old is someone who can beat defenders one-on-one and then accelerate with ease to go and score a goal. Also, his ability to accelerate within seconds has enabled the manager to use him as a vital outlet in the wings.

7. Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal) - 35.85km/h

The Brazilian magician has speed and power in his legs. His dribbling ability helps him score and assist goals. But he encapsulates why Samba finesse and panache are so synonymous with Brazilian forwards. Speed helps him a lot to dribble past players quickly and score goals. He also helps his team in defence work and  quickly contributes to counter-attacks. 

6. Marcus Rashford (Manchester United) - 35.95km/h

The England international has been in blazing form for Manchester United since the end of the World Cup. He is a menace down the left wing, with 17 league goals and a top speed of 35.95 km/hr this season. His performance surprised many fans, but everybody knew that he was very capable of performing at this level.

5. Reiss Nelson (Arsenal) - 36.07km/h

Arsenal's super-sub this season, the academy graduate only featured 11 times in the Premier League, all of which came from the bench, but he provided some key moments. Five direct scoring contributions certainly aren’t bad given his fleeting opportunities, with that famous last-minute goal against Bournemouth the pick of the bunch. His recorded ‘top speed’ of 36.07 km/h also adds another string to his bow. Arsenal's squad will be much better off having Nelson around than watching him flourish elsewhere.

4. Erling Haaland (Manchester City) - 36.22km/h

There are probably few sights more terrifying in football if you’re a defender than Erling Haaland rampaging directly into your path. The Premier League’s top scorer with 36 goals comes in at number six, having a top speed of 36.22 km/hr. It proves he is an efficient centre-forward who is not only a predator in the box but can be played on fast counters.

3. Darwin Nunez (Liverpool) - 36.53km/h

His strong physical presence and speed on the field are enough to highlight the 23-year-old’s finesse. Nunez recorded a speed of 36.5 km/hr against West Ham. Liverpool fans will be hoping Nunez can crack on next term and really take the division by storm. He looked potent and cutthroat in small doses in his maiden campaign. He can be the next big thing in the Premier League next season for Liverpool.

2. Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United) - 36.61km/h

Anthony Gordon made a switch to Newcastle United from Everton in the winter transfer window. The Englishman is the second-fastest forward in the league this season.

1. Brennan Johnson (Nottingham Forest) - 36.70km/h

Nottingham Forest’s turbo-charged forward was the catalyst, along with Taiwo Awoniyi, behind the club’s resurgence and eventual safety. He is the ultimate difference-maker in the squad and one of the best players in the history of the Forest,  and he was the only Forest player to appear in all 38 of their games. This shows his fitness level at the highest level is so good.