Premier division: ten highlights to keep an eye on this matchday
1. Garnacho and Walker poised for a new battle
A Manchester reunion could be in store as the Clarets' Kyle Walker faces the Blues' Alejandro Garnacho at Turf Moor. The wide man has started to settle with Chelsea following his summer move from the Red Devils and showcased his talents in the Wolves match prior to the fixture pause. His assist for Pedro Neto blended rapid acceleration with a perfect along-the-deck delivery. His contribution for Malo Gusto entailed moving onto his right before dinking a ball across the goalmouth. His goal reaction with Neto, echoing his earlier embrace with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, acted as a reminder of how quickly circumstances change. The last time Garnacho took on Walker? During the youngster scored for United in the FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
Burnley versus Chelsea, Saturday half past twelve (all times GMT)
The winger vital to stopping Bournemouth's decline
Antoine Semenyo is receiving the full transfer speculation focus due to a alleged £65m buyout clause for his prospective January departure, the tabloids preparing him for advancement out of the Premier League's middle class. That is to be expected for a wide player with a half-dozen strikes and three helpers and remains pleasurable to watch. Still, Bournemouth occupy an awkward spot, having undergone a body swap: it is the bottom-half team West Ham who come in on consecutive triumphs, while Bournemouth have lost seven to one combined over their past two games following an strong beginning to the season. Semenyo was denied from the spot by Emi Martínez during the four-nil loss to Aston Villa but facing a defensive unit lacking a clean sheet in the league since the start of the season may prove the ideal remedy.
Bournemouth versus West Ham, Saturday afternoon 3:00 PM
Danny Welbeck a left-field choice for the Three Lions
It seemed intriguing to hear Thomas Tuchel reference Danny Welbeck repeatedly throughout the fixture pause despite the fact that the Brighton striker reaches 35 soon. “Despite not knowing him, I understand what he can provide,” said the England manager. “He can be a back-up for Harry [Kane] as a quite conventional striker position.” Earning the most recent of his 42 England games several years ago, it's entirely possible that Welbeck might be in the squad to the World Cup assuming he manages to continue his goalscoring exploits. The ex- Manchester United and Arsenal striker can claim more goals than any other English performer in the Premier League this campaign with six and will be eager to increase that count as Brighton entertain Brentford on Saturday.
Brighton versus Brentford, Saturday 3pm
4. Sessegnon crucial as assist provider and finisher
The Ryan Sessegnon tale has provided a degree of positivity to Fulham's bumpy beginning. The former Tottenham man, who came back to his boyhood club recently after five tough years at Tottenham, is now a consistent pick, pushing forward on the left flank in the absence of the sidelined Antonee Robinson. The concern? Having scored twice, he's also their leading marksman this season as well as Harry Wilson. The Mexican striker, their leading man last season, has netted one goal while Rodrigo Muniz is unavailable for an extended period because of a hamstring operation. Sessegnon is also having to step up in a creative role in place of Robinson, who supplied 10 assists last season. Fulham's next four fixtures include three of the leading five as well as Crystal Palace, who have allowed merely nine goals in the Premier League to date. A threat emerges for a team that have developed a reputation for solidity in the central positions.
Fulham against Sunderland, Saturday afternoon 3:00 PM
5. Time for Isak to produce for Liverpool
The controversy surrounding Virgil van Dijk's ruled-out strike in the match with Manchester City could not hide Liverpool's inferiority during the match as they succumbed to a seventh defeat in 10 games. The manager's squad need a prolonged upturn to force their way into the title race from their current spot, plus a significant boost in performance, and the possibility emerges with seven of their next 10 league games facing teams at the moment in the bottom ten in the league. The threat is evident from Nottingham Forest, the only team to hand a defeat on their own turf on the champions the previous campaign, however it's not just Liverpool's performance against aerial passes and quick transitions that is under the spotlight. Now is the occasion for Alexander Isak to show up wearing red. The expensive signing has been absent in domestic action for a month following a muscle issue while his second appearance in the lineup in four days in continental competition triumph in Germany. Isak returned off the bench in the Swedish loss to Switzerland but sat out the subsequent inconsequential game against Slovenia to guarantee his readiness for the upcoming World Cup knockout rounds. A caution on Tuesday would have ruled him out. He might be short of|lacking|deficient
