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Which United Player Is One of the League’s Fastest?

By Lloyd Mallison

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MARCH 09: (L-R) Marcos Rojo, Paddy McNair, Chris Smalling and Jesse Lingard of Manchester United run during a training session ahead of the UEFA Europa League round of 16 first leg match between Liverpool and Manchester United at Aon Training Complex on March 9, 2016 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Dave Thompson/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MARCH 09: (L-R) Marcos Rojo, Paddy McNair, Chris Smalling and Jesse Lingard of Manchester United run during a training session ahead of the UEFA Europa League round of 16 first leg match between Liverpool and Manchester United at Aon Training Complex on March 9, 2016 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Dave Thompson/Getty Images) /
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Manchester United’s season may not have hit full stride yet, but one of the squad certainly did, ranking on the list of top ten fastest players in the Premier League.

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According to data collected by sports data company, Opta. Manchester United’s newest center back, Eric Bailly hit one of the fastest paces this season, The Telegraph reported.

Bailly hit a blistering 21.649 mph, tying Middlesborough’s Adama Traore for seventh fastest speed hit so far this season. This will please coach Jose Mourinho. His first signing of the summer is displaying such effort on the pitch. It’s even more impressive given the center back is 6-foot-2 tall. Peter Crouch proved with his top speed of 17.759 mph, long legs don’t equal speed.

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 23: Eric Bailly of Manchester United in action with Gary Cahill of Chelsea during the Barclays Premier League match between Chelsea and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on October 23, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by John Peters/Man Utd via Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 23: Eric Bailly of Manchester United in action with Gary Cahill of Chelsea during the Barclays Premier League match between Chelsea and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on October 23, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by John Peters/Man Utd via Getty Images) /

Jose Mourinho likes to build his teams with off a solid defense. So it’s reassuring for the future that Eric Bailly has adapted to life in the Premiership so, ahem, quickly.

Short term, unfortunately, the 22-year-old is out for two months with a foot injury he picked up in the game against Chelsea a few weeks ago. His defensive prowess was certainly missed in the midweek Europa League game against Fenerbahce.

Trouble for “next big thing”

It wasn’t all good news for the United squad though. New-Ronaldo-quickly-turned-club-outcast, Memphis Depay, has only played a couple of games this season for the club.

But it’s unsurprising he hasn’t been first choice, given that when he has played he’s only hit a top speed of 18.716 mph, the 18th slowest in the league. For a player who was heralded for his pace before he joined the Red Devils, that’s nothing short of disappointing.

Fenerbahce’s Turkish defender Sener Ozbayrakli (floor) slides to tackle Manchester United’s Dutch midfielder Memphis Depay (top) during the UEFA Europa League group A football match between Manchester United and Fenerbahce at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on October 20, 2016. / AFP / OLI SCARFF (Photo credit should read OLI SCARFF/AFP/Getty Images)
Fenerbahce’s Turkish defender Sener Ozbayrakli (floor) slides to tackle Manchester United’s Dutch midfielder Memphis Depay (top) during the UEFA Europa League group A football match between Manchester United and Fenerbahce at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on October 20, 2016. / AFP / OLI SCARFF (Photo credit should read OLI SCARFF/AFP/Getty Images) /

Depay has fallen down the pecking order at the club, as the coach has shown he’d rather start Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial,Jesse Lingard,Juan Mata or even Ashley Young in wide roles ahead of him. It’s quite the fall from grace, considering it was just over a year ago that he was being handed the storied number seven jersey after being brought to the club for $31 million.

There’s hope for him yet though, as he has the faith of Cristiano Ronaldo, Arjen Robben, and Wayne Rooney, among several others, who all believe he can be one of the best footballers in the world. And anybody who can do this at Champion’s League level can’t be a lost cause.

Read the full list of the league’s fastest and slowest players here.

H/T Fox Soccer

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