Premier League fastest players and distance dominators in the 2024/25 season

New Delhi: The Premier League has always been home to some of the fastest and most relentless athletes in the world but this season has taken it to a new level. From blazing sprints to incredible stamina players are pushing the limits in ways that surprise even the most seasoned fans. But it’s not just about speed, endurance and tactical intelligence are becoming just as important on the pitch. To end the curiosity about who is dominating the field this season so far, let’s explore the eye-opening stats that reveal how players are balancing pace, power, and precision to redefine what it takes to succeed in the league.

The speed king

Tottenham’s Micky van de Ven has set the pace this season as the Premier League’s fastest player. The Dutch defender clocked the top speed, continuing his impressive form from last season and Euro 2024. Van de Ven has left behind pacey players like Fulham’s Adama Traore and Manchester City’s Kyle Walker, who didn’t even make it into the top 20 fastest this season.

Despite their reputation for speed, Walker’s position is surprisingly low ranked 80th while Traore sits at 21st. Other notable players like Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold (19th) and Manchester United’s Antony (24th) also recorded faster speeds than Walker this season.

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Fastest player at each club (as per Opta):

Most sprints

Newcastle forward Anthony Gordon has completed the most sprints this season and leading the charts by a substantial margin. His relentless running has put him well ahead of Manchester City’s Erling Haaland who despite his athletic prowess lags behind in total sprints.

Pep Guardiola’s possession-heavy tactics may explain Haaland’s lower sprint numbers as City prioritizes control over raw speed. On the other hand, Everton with their more direct approach have Dominic Calvert-Lewin as their top sprinter, ranking comfortably mid-table in sprints.

Sprint leader of each club (as per Opta):

Distance dominator

Southampton’s Flynn Downes tops the list as he covered an impressive 84.2 km total distance this season. While minutes played heavily influence this statistic Downes’ endurance has been unmatched in the league.

Calculating distance per 90 minutes, however, reveals another standout performer: Tottenham’s Dejan Kulusevski. Kulusevski leads the pack in average distance covered per game, with only West Ham’s Tomas Soucek coming close. Kulusevski also holds the record for the longest distance covered in a single match, clocking 13.2 km against Manchester United.

Most distance covered for each club (as per Opta): 

Most distance covered per game

No player comes closer to Dejan Kulusevski’s distance per 90 minutes especially those who have played at least four games. Only West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek is within half a kilometre range of  Kulusevski’s average. 

The 24-year-old Spur’s midfielder also holds the record for the maximum distance covered in a single game this season totalling 13.2 km against Manchester United in his side’s 3-0 triumph in September. 

In the same month, he also clocked 12.6 km in a 3-1 win over Brentford which is the second-highest total this season in a Premier League match.  

Who has walked the most?

Erling Haaland leads another surprising category as he has walked the furthest this season. Despite being a sprint leader for Manchester City, Haaland spends a significant portion of his time walking during games, a tactical approach mirrored by a few others including Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon and Manchester United’s Diogo Dalot.

However, Nottingham Forest’s Willy Boly tops the percentage chart, having spent 78.5% of his time walking perhaps reflecting his role in Forest’s defensive system.

Most distance walked for each club (as per Opta):