Premier division: 10 things to keep an eye on this weekend
Garnacho versus Walker ready for another encounter
A Manchester reunion might be in the offing when the Clarets' Kyle Walker faces the Blues' Alejandro Garnacho on Burnley's turf. The attacker is adapting well in west London following his summer move from Manchester United and demonstrated his talents against Wolves before the fixture pause. His key pass for Pedro Neto mixed rapid acceleration with a flawless low cross. His creation for Malo Gusto required shifting infield before chipping a delivery toward the far post. His joyous moment with Neto, mirroring his earlier celebration with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, served as a indication of the speed at which circumstances change. The last time Garnacho faced Walker? Back when the Argentine scored for United during their Wembley triumph against Manchester City.
Burnley vs Chelsea, Saturday 12.30pm (kick-offs GMT)
Antoine Semenyo vital to ending Bournemouth's slump
Antoine Semenyo is attracting the complete transfer speculation focus amid a claimed £65m escape clause for his possible winter exit, the gossip columns preparing him for promotion out of the Premier League's average tier. That is to be expected from a attacker who has six goals and three setups and is delightful to watch. Nonetheless, his team occupy an tricky spot, having engaged in a role reversal: now it's the relegation battlers West Ham who enter on back-to-back victories, while Bournemouth have been beaten seven-one on aggregate over their past two matches after an strong beginning to the season. Semenyo was denied on the penalty by Emi Martínez during the 4-0 defeat to Aston Villa but confronting a backline without a shutout in the league since the start of the season might be the ideal solution.
Bournemouth versus West Ham, Saturday afternoon 3:00 PM
Danny Welbeck a surprise shout for the national team
It proved notable to listen to Thomas Tuchel mention Danny Welbeck repeatedly during the fixture pause even though the Brighton attacker reaches 35 next week. “Despite not knowing him, I know what he is able to offer me,” stated the England manager. “He could serve as a reserve for Harry [Kane] as a quite traditional centre-forward position.” Gaining the final 42 caps back in 2018, it's entirely possible that Welbeck might be on the plane for the World Cup provided he can continue his scoring exploits. The ex- Manchester United and Arsenal forward has additional strikes compared to any English footballer in England's top division this campaign having six and remains anxious to boost that count as Brighton welcome Brentford on Saturday.
Brighton vs Brentford, Saturday afternoon three o'clock
4. Sessegnon crucial as playmaker and scorer
The narrative around Ryan Sessegnon has provided a measure of positivity to Fulham's inconsistent start. The 25-year-old, who returned to his former side recently following five challenging years at Tottenham, has become a first-team fixture, driving down the left in the absence of the sidelined Antonee Robinson. The concern? On two goals, he remains their joint-top scorer this season together with Harry Wilson. Their main striker, their primary attacker last season, has bagged a single goal while Rodrigo Muniz is out until 2026 owing to a hamstring operation. Additionally, Sessegnon having to step up in a creative role replacing Robinson, who provided ten setups last time round. Fulham's upcoming four games take in three from the top five and Crystal Palace, who have let in merely nine strikes in the Premier League to date. Danger looms for the club that have built a reputation for mid-table stability.
Fulham vs Sunderland, Saturday afternoon 3:00 PM
5. Time for Alexander Isak to produce for Liverpool
The controversy regarding Virgil van Dijk's chalked-off effort versus Manchester City failed to mask Liverpool's deficiencies in that game as they succumbed to loss number seven over ten fixtures. The coach's side need a sustained recovery to enter the title race from this position, plus a dramatic boost in performance, and a chance arises as seven out of their next 10 top-flight fixtures versus teams currently in the lower half in the league. The threat is evident from Nottingham Forest, the only team to hand a home league defeat on the champions the previous campaign, however it's not just Liverpool's display versus direct play and fast breaks that is in focus. Now is the occasion that Alexander Isak to perform for Liverpool. The expensive signing has not featured for his club in a month having sustained a muscle issue while his second appearance in the lineup in quick succession in the Champions League victory in Germany. Isak returned off the bench during Sweden's loss by Switzerland but sat out the subsequent meaningless match against Slovenia to guarantee his fitness for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers. A booking on Tuesday would have suspended him. He might be short of|lacking|deficient