English top flight: ten key points to look out for this matchday
Walker faces Garnacho set for another encounter
A Mancunian rematch may be in the offing when Burnley's Kyle Walker faces Chelsea's Alejandro Garnacho at Turf Moor. The wide man is adapting well at Stamford Bridge following his close-season transfer from Old Trafford and demonstrated his talents versus Wolverhampton prior to the fixture pause. His setup for Pedro Neto combined electric speed with a perfect low cross. His creation for Malo Gusto required moving onto his right before lofting a delivery to the back post. His celebration with Neto, mirroring his prior hug with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, acted as a indication of the speed at which things transform. The last time Garnacho faced Walker? Back when the Argentine found the net for United during their FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
Burnley vs Chelsea, Saturday afternoon half past twelve (all times GMT)
2. Semenyo crucial to stopping Bournemouth's slide
Antoine Semenyo is getting the full transfer speculation treatment following a claimed £65m escape clause for a possible winter exit, the media preparing him for advancement from the Premier League's middle class. This is predictable for a wide player who has a half-dozen strikes and three assists who is joyous to watch. Still, Bournemouth occupy an awkward situation, experiencing a body swap: now it's the relegation battlers West Ham who arrive on back-to-back victories, whereas Bournemouth have been beaten 7-1 combined in their past two games after an impressive start to the campaign. Semenyo had his effort saved on the penalty by Emi Martínez during the four-nil loss by Aston Villa yet confronting a defence lacking a clean sheet for months might be the perfect solution.
Bournemouth against West Ham, Saturday afternoon 3:00 PM
The striker a surprise option for the national team
It was interesting to hear Thomas Tuchel reference Danny Welbeck repeatedly during the fixture pause despite the fact that the Brighton forward turns 35 next week. “Despite not being familiar with him, I am aware what he can offer me,” commented the England boss. “He could serve as a stand-in for Harry [Kane] playing a quite conventional No 9 role.” Having won the last of his 42 England games back in 2018, it's quite plausible that Welbeck may be on the plane for the World Cup assuming he is able to maintain his goal-getting exploits. The ex- Manchester United and Arsenal forward boasts a greater tally over every other English player in England's top division this campaign having six and is anxious to increase that count when Brighton welcome Brentford in Saturday's match.
Brighton vs Brentford, Saturday three o'clock
The full-back needed as playmaker and scorer
The Ryan Sessegnon tale has provided a degree of positivity to Fulham's inconsistent start. The 25-year-old, who returned to his boyhood club recently after five tough years at Tottenham, has become a first-team fixture, pushing forward on the left due to the injury of the sidelined Antonee Robinson. The concern? Having scored twice, he's also their top goalscorer in the Premier League as well as Harry Wilson. Their main striker, their top scorer last season, has scored one goal while Rodrigo Muniz is injured until 2026 owing to a hamstring operation. Additionally, Sessegnon being required to contribute in a creative role instead of Robinson, who registered ten setups last season. Fulham's following four matches take in three among the top five plus Crystal Palace, who have let in only nine scores in the league so far. Trouble awaits for the club that have developed a name for consistency in the middle.
Fulham against Sunderland, Saturday 3pm
The occasion for Alexander Isak to deliver for the Merseyside club
The debate regarding Virgil van Dijk's chalked-off effort versus Manchester City could not hide Liverpool's shortcomings during the match as they fell to their seventh loss in 10 games. The coach's side need a consistent improvement to enter the league contest from their current spot, along with a significant improvement in form, and the possibility presents itself as seven of their next 10 league games against clubs currently in the bottom half in the league. The danger is obvious posed by Nottingham Forest, the single club to hand a loss at Anfield to Liverpool the previous campaign, but it is not only Liverpool's performance when facing long balls and counterattacks that is under scrutiny. Now is the occasion for Alexander Isak to deliver for Liverpool. The big-money forward has not featured in domestic action over four weeks having sustained a groin problem during his second start in four days in the Champions League victory in Germany. The striker came back off the bench in Sweden's defeat against Switzerland but was rested the subsequent inconsequential game against Slovenia to guarantee his fitness for the upcoming World Cup knockout rounds. A yellow card on Tuesday would have ruled him out. The striker could be short of|lacking|deficient
