English top flight: 10 things to watch for this weekend
1. Garnacho and Walker poised for a fresh encounter
Another northwest showdown may be on the cards as the Clarets' Kyle Walker faces the Blues' Alejandro Garnacho in Lancashire. The attacker is finding his feet with Chelsea after his summer move from the Red Devils and demonstrated his talents in the Wolves match before the international break. His key pass for Pedro Neto combined blistering pace and a perfect along-the-deck delivery. His build-up for Malo Gusto involved shifting infield prior to dinking a delivery to the back post. His joyous moment with Neto, mirroring his previous celebration with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, was a reminder of the pace with which things transform. The last time Garnacho faced Walker? Back when the former scored for United in their FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
Burnley versus Chelsea, Saturday half past twelve (kick-offs GMT)
Antoine Semenyo key to stopping Bournemouth's slump
Antoine Semenyo is receiving the entire transfer speculation focus following a reported £65m release clause for his potential mid-season move, the tabloids setting him up for advancement out of the Premier League's mid-table ranks. It is understandable from a wide player with six goals and three helpers and remains pleasurable to watch. Nonetheless, his team find themselves in an awkward position, having undergone a form flip: now it's the relegation battlers West Ham who come in with back-to-back victories, whereas Bournemouth are down seven to one combined in their past two games following an promising start to the season. Semenyo was denied from the spot by Emi Martínez in their 4-0 defeat by Aston Villa yet facing a defensive unit without a clean sheet since August might be the perfect tonic.
Bournemouth vs West Ham, Saturday afternoon 3:00 PM
3. Welbeck an outside shout for England
It seemed intriguing to hear Thomas Tuchel mention Danny Welbeck multiple times throughout the fixture pause although the Brighton attacker reaches 35 in the coming days. “Without even having met him, I am aware what he is able to provide,” said the England boss. “He might act as a back-up for Harry [Kane] playing a very orthodox striker position.” Earning the most recent of his 42 England games in 2018, it's quite plausible that Welbeck might be in the squad to the World Cup assuming he is able to sustain his goal-getting performances. Once of Manchester United and Arsenal striker boasts more goals compared to any English footballer in the Premier League this term on six and is keen to add to that total as Brighton entertain Brentford this weekend.
Brighton vs Brentford, Saturday three o'clock
Ryan Sessegnon crucial as creator and scorer
The Ryan Sessegnon tale has brought some positivity to Fulham's inconsistent beginning. The left-sided player, who came back to his boyhood club recently following five challenging years with Spurs, has become a consistent pick, pushing forward on the left in the absence of the sidelined Antonee Robinson. The issue? With two goals, he is their joint-top scorer this season as well as Harry Wilson. The Mexican striker, their top scorer the previous campaign, has scored one goal whereas Rodrigo Muniz is unavailable until 2026 due to a surgical procedure. Additionally, Sessegnon having to step up as a creator in place of Robinson, who registered ten helpers in the previous campaign. Fulham's upcoming four games include three among the top five and Crystal Palace, who have conceded just nine scores in the league so far. A threat emerges for a side that have earned a standing for consistency in the middle.
Fulham versus Sunderland, Saturday three o'clock
5. Time for The striker to produce for Liverpool
The dispute about Virgil van Dijk's chalked-off effort in the match with Manchester City did not camouflage Liverpool's inferiority on the day as they fell to their seventh loss in ten matches. The manager's side must have a consistent improvement to muscle into the league contest from their current spot, as well as a significant boost in performance, and opportunity emerges as seven out of their upcoming ten top-flight fixtures facing teams at the moment in the bottom ten of the table. The threat is clear from Nottingham Forest, the sole side to deliver a home league defeat on the champions in the last term, but it is not only Liverpool's performance versus aerial passes and fast breaks that will be in focus. It is time for Alexander Isak to show up in a Liverpool shirt. The £125m striker has not featured at club level for a month after picking up a groin injury while his second consecutive start over a short period in continental competition victory abroad. The striker came back as a substitute during Sweden's loss to Switzerland but missed the subsequent inconsequential game with Slovenia to secure his readiness for next year's World Cup qualifiers. A booking on Tuesday might have ruled him out. Isak may be short of|lacking|deficient
