Premier division: ten key points to keep an eye on this weekend
Garnacho versus Walker poised for a fresh battle
A Mancunian rematch might be in the offing as Burnley's Kyle Walker confronts Chelsea's Alejandro Garnacho in Lancashire. The winger is finding his feet in west London following his summer move from Old Trafford and showcased his skills against Wolves prior to the international break. His assist for Pedro Neto mixed electric speed and a flawless along-the-deck delivery. His creation for Malo Gusto involved shifting infield before lofting a ball across the goalmouth. His celebration with Neto, echoing his previous hug with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, was a reminder of the pace with which situations evolve. The last time Garnacho encountered Walker? When the youngster netted for United in the Wembley triumph over Manchester City.
Burnley versus Chelsea, Saturday afternoon 12:30 PM (start times GMT)
2. Semenyo key to stopping Cherries' decline
Antoine Semenyo is attracting the entire transfer speculation focus amid a claimed £65m release clause for a potential winter exit, the gossip columns preparing him for graduation out of the Premier League's average tier. It is understandable from a attacker who has six goals plus three assists and remains joyous to watch. However, his team are in an awkward situation, having engaged in a body swap: now it's the relegation battlers West Ham who come in with back-to-back victories, whereas Bournemouth have lost 7-1 combined in their last two fixtures after an promising beginning to the campaign. Semenyo saw his attempt stopped on the penalty by Emi Martínez during the four-nil loss by Aston Villa however taking on a defence lacking a goalless game since August might be the ideal remedy.
Bournemouth against West Ham, Saturday afternoon three o'clock
3. Welbeck an outside choice for England
It seemed interesting to hear Thomas Tuchel reference Danny Welbeck multiple times throughout the fixture pause even though the Brighton striker turns 35 in the coming days. “Despite not knowing him, I am aware what he can provide,” commented the England coach. “He can be a stand-in for Harry [Kane] as a quite orthodox No 9 role.” Having won the last of his 42 caps several years ago, it's entirely possible that Welbeck might be selected for the World Cup assuming he is able to continue his goal-getting exploits. The ex- Manchester United and Arsenal forward has additional strikes over every other English performer in the Premier League this season having six and is eager to increase that count as Brighton host Brentford this weekend.
Brighton versus Brentford, Saturday 3pm
The full-back required as playmaker and scorer
The narrative around Ryan Sessegnon has brought a measure of comfort to Fulham's bumpy beginning. The former Tottenham man, who returned to his former side last year following five challenging years in north London, is now a first-team fixture, pushing forward on the left flank in the absence of the sidelined Antonee Robinson. The issue? With two goals, he is their joint-top scorer in the league alongside Harry Wilson. Raúl Jiménez, their primary attacker the previous campaign, has netted once while Rodrigo Muniz is out until 2026 due to hamstring surgery. Sessegnon is also having to step up as an assist provider instead of Robinson, who provided 10 assists in the previous campaign. Fulham's next four games take in three among the best five and Crystal Palace, who have allowed merely nine strikes in the league this season. A threat emerges for a team that have earned a standing for mid-table stability.
Fulham vs Sunderland, Saturday afternoon 3pm
The occasion for Alexander Isak to deliver for the Merseyside club
The debate surrounding Virgil van Dijk's disallowed goal versus Manchester City could not hide Liverpool's deficiencies during the match as they fell to a seventh defeat over ten fixtures. The coach's team must have a consistent improvement to enter the title race from this position, plus a dramatic improvement in form, and the possibility emerges with seven from their following ten Premier League matches facing teams currently in the lower half in the league. The threat is evident from Nottingham Forest, the only team to inflict a loss at Anfield to Liverpool last season, yet it isn't solely Liverpool's display versus long balls and quick transitions that is under scrutiny. It is time for Alexander Isak to show up wearing red. The big-money forward has not featured for his club over four weeks having sustained a groin problem during his second consecutive start over a short period in Europe victory at Eintracht Frankfurt. He reappeared off the bench in Sweden's loss against Switzerland but missed Tuesday's inconsequential game with Slovenia to guarantee his fitness for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers. A caution in that match could have ruled him out. Isak may be short of|lacking|deficient
