Bradley Barcola Makes Immediate Liverpool Impact With League-Leading Statistic
Bradley Barcola needed just 26 minutes of his Liverpool debut to become the fastest player in the Premier League so far this season.
Liverpool were made to work hard in negotiations with Paris Saint-Germain, eventually agreeing to a package worth up to $166 million (£123 million) to bring the France international to Anfield late in the summer transfer window.
Barcola’s debut came off the bench in Liverpool’s 2–0 win over Ipswich Town on Friday, in which he hit a speed not yet seen in the Premier League this season.
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The Fastest Players in the Premier League So Far
Player | Speed |
|---|---|
Bradley Barcola | 35.9 km/h |
Milan van Ewijk | 35.3 km/h |
Pedro Neto | 35.3 km/h |
Kristoffer Ajer | 35.1 km/h |
Rayan | 35.1 km/h |
Ian Maatsen | 35.0 km/h |
Anthony Elanga | 34.9 km/h |
Reinildo | 34.9 km/h |
Alexander Isak | 34.8 km/h |
Cristhian Mosquera | 34.8 km/h |
Víctor Muñoz | 34.8 km/h |
Barcola Adding Much-Needed Dynamism to Liverpool’s Attack
One of the primary complaints about Liverpool’s attack last season was a lack of energy. The Reds often looked lethargic and out of ideas, with an out-of-form Mohamed Salah the embodiement of the team’s struggles.
Clearly looking to inject more energy into the team, new manager Andoni Iraola made attacking reinforcements a priority, with his hand forced by Salah’s departure to Trabzonspor. Barcola was the headline act and has immediately shown what he is about.
Alongside his electric speed of 35.9 km/h, Barcola also added a total of six sprints in his 26 minutes. For comparison, Cody Gakpo completed 11 in the full 90.
Barcola may have stolen the show from a physical perspective, but fellow new signing Víctor Muñoz has also caught the eye and is tied with striker Alexander Isak for a top speed of 34.8 km/h.
Indeed, of the top 11 speeds recorded so far in the Premier League this season, Liverpool boast three entries.
Andoni Iraola’s Impact Being Felt
Iraola’s time at Bournemouth was defined by a high-energy team that ran from the first minute until the last, pressing opponents high and trying to cause chaos.
The new manager has tried to bring that setup over to Liverpool but has so far endured mixed results. During preseason, he sparked alarm by admitting his players were only fit enough to run for 30 minutes, and late collapses in friendlies against Leeds United and Monaco suggested he was right.
Liverpool are still clearly a work in progress, with Friday’s win just their first of the season, but to have three players among the fastest in the Premier League is exactly what Iraola will want to see and will offer encouragement that the squad is suitable for his intense physical demands.
Their credentials are set to be tested in midweek when Atlético Madrid visit Anfield to start the league phase of the 2026–27 Champions League.
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