Premier division: 10 things to keep an eye on this matchday
1. Garnacho and Walker poised for another encounter
A Manchester reunion may be on the cards when the Clarets' Kyle Walker confronts Chelsea's Alejandro Garnacho on Burnley's turf. The attacker is adapting well with Chelsea after his off-season signing from Old Trafford and showcased his talents versus Wolverhampton prior to the national team interval. His setup for Pedro Neto mixed rapid acceleration with a flawless low cross. His contribution for Malo Gusto entailed moving onto his right prior to lofting a delivery to the back post. His celebration with Neto, mirroring his earlier embrace with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, served as a testament of how quickly circumstances change. The last time Garnacho took on Walker? During the Argentine netted for United in their FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
Burnley against Chelsea, Saturday half past twelve (kick-offs GMT)
The winger key to stopping Bournemouth's slump
Antoine Semenyo is attracting the full rumour-mill focus amid a claimed £65m buyout clause for his possible mid-season move, the gossip columns positioning him for advancement from the Premier League's mid-table ranks. That is predictable from a winger with six goals and three helpers and is pleasurable to watch. However, his team occupy an awkward spot, experiencing a form flip: it is the relegation battlers West Ham who enter with back-to-back victories, whereas Bournemouth are down seven-one on aggregate over their last two matches after an strong opening to the season. Semenyo had his effort saved from the spot by Emi Martínez during the 4-0 defeat by Aston Villa but confronting a defensive unit without a clean sheet in the league since the start of the season might be the perfect solution.
Bournemouth vs West Ham, Saturday afternoon three o'clock
3. Welbeck an outside shout for the Three Lions
It proved notable to hear Thomas Tuchel mention Danny Welbeck multiple times during the international break despite the fact that the Brighton attacker turns 35 in the coming days. “Despite not having met him, I understand what he could provide,” commented the England boss. “He might act as a back-up for Harry [Kane] as a very orthodox No 9 position.” Earning the final 42 England games back in 2018, it's entirely possible that Welbeck may be selected to the World Cup provided he manages to continue his goalscoring feats. The ex- Manchester United and Arsenal striker can claim more goals than any other English player in the Premier League this term on six and will be keen to add to that tally as Brighton welcome Brentford this weekend.
Brighton against Brentford, Saturday afternoon 3:00 PM
Ryan Sessegnon required as assist provider and goalscorer
Sessegnon's story has brought a measure of comfort to Fulham's inconsistent start. The former Tottenham man, who returned to his former side last year following five tough years at Tottenham, is now a first-team fixture, operating on the left side with the unavailable Antonee Robinson. The worry? On two goals, he's also their leading marksman in the Premier League alongside Harry Wilson. The Mexican striker, their primary attacker the previous campaign, has scored one goal while Rodrigo Muniz is out for an extended period due to hamstring surgery. Sessegnon is also being required to contribute as an assist provider replacing Robinson, who registered ten helpers in the previous campaign. Fulham's following four matches feature three among the leading five and Crystal Palace, who have let in just nine strikes in the league to date. Danger looms for the club that have built a name for mid-table stability.
Fulham vs Sunderland, Saturday afternoon 3:00 PM
The moment for Alexander Isak to deliver for Liverpool
The dispute surrounding Virgil van Dijk's chalked-off effort against Manchester City could not hide Liverpool's deficiencies in that game as they succumbed to their seventh loss in 10 games. The coach's team require a sustained recovery to force their way into the title race from here, along with a major improvement in form, and opportunity emerges as seven of their upcoming ten Premier League matches facing teams at the moment in the bottom half in the standings. The threat is obvious posed by Nottingham Forest, the only team to deliver a loss at Anfield on the champions the previous campaign, yet it isn't solely Liverpool's performance against aerial passes and quick transitions that remains in focus. It is time that Alexander Isak to show up for Liverpool. The expensive signing has not featured at club level in a month having sustained a muscle issue during his second appearance in the lineup in quick succession in Europe triumph at Eintracht Frankfurt. The striker came back from the bench in Sweden's loss to Switzerland but sat out the midweek dead rubber versus Slovenia to ensure his readiness for the World Cup qualifiers. A caution in that match might have made him ineligible. The striker could be short of|lacking|deficient
