Speed remains one of football’s most decisive weapons, whether it is a direct run through the middle, a winger breaking into space, or a defender racing back to recover possession. In an era of intricate systems and technical detail, raw pace still has a clear place at the top level.

Using Premier League data from the previous campaign, here are the 10 fastest players in the English top flight for the 2026/27 season. There is one important caveat: newly promoted Ipswich Town, Hull City and Coventry City are not included, because the EFL Championship does not centrally collect and publish this data in the same way. That means this list could yet be challenged by fresh arrivals this season.

Yankuba Minteh stands out for his ability to catch teams off guard, either by accelerating early in matches or by exploiting tired legs later on. The Brighton player is also currently injured, which limits his influence.

Daniel James has long been defined by acceleration, and Leeds United continue to benefit from a winger who can simply run past opponents and break open a defensive line.

Jeremie Frimpong gives Liverpool an aggressive running threat in both directions, able to make recovery sprints and then drive forward immediately afterward, provided fitness allows.

Erling Haaland may look low by reputation alone, but his actual top speed last season only placed him seventh among the players on this list, despite the explosive image he carries when charging at goal.

William Osula’s 2025/26 breakthrough at Newcastle United included seven Premier League goals, and his pace added another layer to a striker profile that already drew attention because of his frame.

Pedro Neto is less known for end product than relentless movement, yet he remains one of the quickest runners around. His future remains uncertain, with Chelsea valuing him at $135 million (£100 million) and Al Hilal plus Tottenham Hotspur among the clubs interested for 2026/27 and beyond.

Bryan Mbeumo, now at Manchester United, continues to pose problems for defenders once he gets moving, while Anthony Elanga showed his speed despite a difficult first league season with Newcastle United, including an eye-catching top pace in a December match against Chelsea.

The 2026-27 Premier League campaign is almost under way, with Arsenal set to begin their title defence at home to newly promoted Coventry City on Friday.

With the opening fixture drawing nearer, Opta’s supercomputer has delivered its latest projection for how the table may finish next May. Arsenal remain the strongest favourites to retain the crown, sitting top of the predicted standings on 73.45 expected points and a 40.62% title chance.

Manchester City are projected to be Arsenal’s closest challengers. They are forecast to finish second on 67.01 expected points, with a 19.60% chance of lifting the trophy. Liverpool, in their first season under Andoni Iraola, are placed third on 61.49 expected points and a 9.16% title chance.

The numbers suggest a six-point gap between first and second, which would leave little room for a final-day scramble at the top. Instead, the forecast points toward a title battle that is limited to two teams.

Beyond that, the model expects Manchester United to finish fourth on 59.03 expected points in a full season under permanent manager Michael Carrick. Aston Villa are projected to edge Chelsea and claim fifth, while Chelsea are tipped to finish sixth and return to the Europa League. Newcastle are backed for seventh, with Tottenham eighth despite their record-breaking transfer plans.

Brighton and Bournemouth are forecast to occupy ninth and 10th respectively, leaving them in the mix for Conference League qualification if the available European places fall that way.

At the other end, Opta’s numbers leave all 20 clubs above the traditional 40-point safety line. Hull are predicted to finish bottom on 40.18 expected points, while Ipswich and Coventry are also placed in the relegation zone positions. The outlook suggests Everton, Brentford, Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace are in the lower half, but with relegation odds below 20%.

The overall projection still leaves seven clubs with some risk of being involved in the fight against the drop.

The Premier League is preparing to introduce a broad set of rule changes for the 2026/27 season, with every measure having already been trialled at this summer’s World Cup.

The stated aim is straightforward: limit timewasting, keep the ball in play for longer and do so without increasing stoppage time at the end of each half, according to BBC Sport. There will be no hydration breaks, but there will be several stricter controls on restarts, substitutions and VAR intervention.

One of the clearest changes concerns substitutions. Players being replaced must now leave the pitch within 10 seconds and do so at the nearest available point. If they fail to comply, the substitute will be made to wait a minute before coming on and the team will temporarily continue with 10 men. After that minute, the substitute must wait for the next stoppage. The only exceptions are injury concerns or situations where safety would be affected.

Throw-ins are also being tightened. A five-second countdown will begin once the referee decides a player is deliberately slowing the game. If the player still takes too long after the countdown starts, possession will go to the opposition. Long throws are exempt unless they are judged to be taking too much time on purpose.

At goal kicks, referees will be able to award a corner if a restart is delayed for too long. There is also a clearer ruling on handball during these phases: once the ball has been kicked by the goalkeeper or a defender, the restart is considered live. If a defender then handles it, the result will be a penalty; if a goalkeeper handles it, the opposition will get an indirect free kick.

Injury delays are being treated more strictly too. Players needing treatment from club medical staff will now be kept off for 60 seconds, rather than 30. Those who prevent a restart will also have to sit out for a minute, unless the foul has already led to a booking or dismissal.

Goalkeeper timeouts are being curbed as well. If a goalkeeper asks for treatment, the manager must remove an outfield player within 10 seconds, or the captain will be forced off instead.

VAR will also have more to do. It can now review second yellow cards when a player is sent off for two bookable offences, but only where the foul itself was an obvious error. It can also check whether a foul happened before a set-piece if that incident directly leads to a goal, penalty or disciplinary action.