Premier League: ten highlights to keep an eye on this matchday
Walker faces Garnacho set for a new clash
Another northwest showdown could be in store as Burnley's Kyle Walker lines up against the Blues' Alejandro Garnacho on Burnley's turf. The attacker is finding his feet with Chelsea after his summer move from the Red Devils and demonstrated his abilities in the Wolves match before the national team interval. His assist for Pedro Neto combined blistering pace and a ideal along-the-deck delivery. His build-up for Malo Gusto entailed cutting inside prior to chipping a delivery toward the far post. His goal reaction with Neto, mirroring his previous celebration with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, served as a testament of the pace with which things transform. The previous occasion Garnacho faced Walker? During the former netted for United in the FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
Burnley versus Chelsea, Saturday afternoon 12.30pm (kick-offs GMT)
Antoine Semenyo key to halting Bournemouth's decline
Antoine Semenyo is attracting the entire rumour-mill treatment due to a claimed £65m buyout clause for a prospective winter exit, the gossip columns positioning him for promotion out of the Premier League's average tier. That is to be expected for a wide player who has a half-dozen strikes plus three setups and is pleasurable to watch. However, his side find themselves in an tricky position, having undergone a body swap: it is the struggling side West Ham who arrive on successive wins, while Bournemouth have lost seven-one combined in their last two matches following an impressive beginning to the season. Semenyo was denied on the penalty by Emi Martínez in their four-nil loss by Aston Villa yet facing a defence lacking a goalless game in the league since the start of the season could be the ideal remedy.
Bournemouth against West Ham, Saturday afternoon three o'clock
3. Welbeck a left-field choice for England
It was intriguing to listen to Thomas Tuchel name-drop Danny Welbeck multiple times throughout the national team window even though the Brighton attacker reaches 35 in the coming days. “Even without being familiar with him, I am aware what he is able to offer me,” said the England coach. “He could serve as a reserve for Harry [Kane] in a quite orthodox centre-forward role.” Gaining the last of his 42 international appearances in 2018, it's entirely possible that Welbeck may be in the squad to the World Cup assuming he is able to sustain his goalscoring performances. Once of Manchester United and Arsenal striker can claim a greater tally over every other English player in England's top division this season having six and will be anxious to add to that total when Brighton host Brentford this weekend.
Brighton versus Brentford, Saturday afternoon three o'clock
The full-back crucial as creator and finisher
The narrative around Ryan Sessegnon has brought a degree of comfort to Fulham's bumpy beginning. The 25-year-old, who returned to his boyhood club last year following five challenging years at Tottenham, has emerged as a regular starter, pushing forward on the left with the injured Antonee Robinson. The issue? On two goals, he's also their joint-top scorer in the Premier League as well as Harry Wilson. The Mexican striker, their leading man in the last term, has scored once while Rodrigo Muniz is unavailable for the long term due to a surgical procedure. Additionally, Sessegnon being required to contribute in a creative role in place of Robinson, who supplied ten setups last season. The Cottagers' next four games include three from the top five as well as Crystal Palace, who have allowed merely nine scores in the league to date. Danger looms for a side that have developed a reputation for consistency in the middle.
Fulham versus Sunderland, Saturday 3pm
5. Time for Alexander Isak to deliver for Liverpool
The controversy about Virgil van Dijk's disallowed goal in the match with Manchester City could not hide Liverpool's shortcomings on the day as they succumbed to loss number seven in ten matches. The coach's squad must have a prolonged upturn to muscle into the title race from here, as well as a dramatic improvement in form, and the possibility arises as seven out of their upcoming ten Premier League matches against teams at the moment in the bottom half in the league. The danger is clear from Nottingham Forest, the only team to hand a defeat on their own turf to Liverpool last season, but it is not only Liverpool's display versus aerial passes and counterattacks that remains under scrutiny. Now is the occasion for Alexander Isak to perform wearing red. The expensive signing has not featured in domestic action in a month after picking up a groin injury while his second consecutive start in four days in continental competition victory abroad. He reappeared off the bench in the Swedish reverse by Switzerland but was rested the midweek meaningless match against Slovenia to secure his readiness for the upcoming World Cup knockout rounds. A yellow card in that match would have made him ineligible. Isak may be short of|lacking|deficient