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The Premier League is home to some of the most talented individuals in football. Some are masterful at scoring, some deliver inch-perfect passes at will, some have incomparable defensive acumen, and some are unbelievably quick with the ball at their feet.
Given the breakneck pace of the Premier League, being quick is practically a prerequisite for making it big in the division. It allows defenders to recover during transitions, midfielders to beat their peers while driving down the middle, and attackers to chase down ambitious through balls.
The first matchday of the 2022-23 Premier League campaign has given fans a teaser of what to expect from the season and which speedsters to keep an eye on.
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Below, we will take a look at who those players are, the ones who reached the highest top speeds on the first Premier League matchday.
Now, without further ado, let us check out the five quickest players in gameweek 1 of the English top flight:
Stats: Premier League (via Jose Enrique)
#5 William Saliba - Arsenal, vs Crystal Palace: 34.49 km/h
Playing his first official match for Arsenal’s senior team against Crystal Palace on Saturday (August 6), William Saliba impressed onlookers with his pace, passing, and defensive acumen.
The youngster positioned himself brilliantly, rarely gave the ball away, and did not let a single Crystal Palace player dribble past him.
The Frenchman clocked a top speed of 34.49 km/h against Palace, announcing himself as the quickest player on Mikel Arteta’s team on matchday one.
In addition to exhibiting breathtaking pace, Saliba made seven clearances, won four of his five duels, provided 45 accurate passes, and accurately delivered two long balls.
A stunning debut for the former St. Etienne man.
#4 Andreas Pereira - Fulham, vs Liverpool: 34.52 km/h
Fulham welcomed 19-time English champions Liverpool to Craven Cottage for their Premier League opener on Saturday (August 6).
The newly promoted side punched above their weight and managed to contain the Reds to a 2-2 draw in London.
Playing in a No. 10 role, summer signing Andreas Pereira did not make a match-saving impact, but his pace gave Liverpool all sorts of trouble.
The Brazilian reached an impressive top speed of 34.52 km/h against Liverpool. No other midfielder clocked such insane numbers on the opening matchday of the 2022-23 English top-flight campaign.
In addition to charging at the opposition with pace, Pereira played a key pass, accurately delivered two crosses, and won an aerial duel.
#3 Tosin Adarabioyo - Fulham, vs Liverpool: 34.80 km/h
Clocking a top speed of 34.80 km/h against Liverpool on Saturday, Fulham centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo emerged as the quickest defender in Premier League gameweek 1.
Adarabioyo had to go toe-to-toe with the likes of Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz, and he tried his best to hold his own.
The English defender used his pace well and did not let the Liverpool attackers catch him on the break.
Adarabioyo made seven clearances and two tackles, and won all four of his duels against the Merseyside giants.
He also accurately delivered seven long balls, and saw 17 of his passes reach their intended destinations.
#2 Danny Welbeck - Brighton & Hove Albion, vs Manchester United: 35.28 km/h
Brighton & Hove Albion traveled to Old Trafford for their Premier League opener against Manchester United on Sunday (August 7).
It was a special occasion for former United forward Danny Welbeck, and he made sure to show his old club what they were missing.
Welbeck, who clocked a top speed of 35.28 km/h against the Red Devils, terrorized the hosts' back line with his pace, energy, and confidence.
He was at the heart of most of the chances Brighton created in the first half and provided a neat assist for Pascal Gross’ opening goal in the 30th minute. Gross scored again nine minutes later, putting the visitors 0-2 up.
Erik ten Hag’s team were handed a lifeline following Alexis Mac Allister’s second-half own goal. But it didn’t change the outcome of the match, with it ending 2-1 in the Seagulls' favor.
#1 Darwin Nunez - Liverpool, vs Fulham: 36.53 km/h
Coming off the bench in the 51st minute, Liverpool forward Darwin Nunez made his Premier League debut against Fulham on Saturday.
Not only did he score and assist, but he also clocked a top speed of 36.53 km/h during his 39-minute spell at Craven Cottage.
Nunez, who was signed for €75 million from Benfica earlier this summer, found the back of the net 13 minutes after coming off the bench. He successfully backheeled the ball past Fulham goalkeeper Marek Rodak to equalize for the Reds (1-1).
Fulham’s Aleksander Mitrovic restored the home team’s advantage only a few minutes later, dispatching a spot-kick after drawing a foul from Virgil van Dijk.
In the 80th minute, Nunez delivered again for the Reds, this time assisting Mohamed Salah for the Reds' equalizer.
The game ultimately ended 2-2, but it could have been a lot worse for the Merseyside giants had the Uruguayan not turned up the way he did on Saturday.
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