English top flight: ten highlights to watch for this matchday
Walker faces Garnacho ready for a new clash
Another northwest showdown could be in store as Burnley's Kyle Walker faces Chelsea's Alejandro Garnacho on Burnley's turf. The wide man is adapting well at Stamford Bridge after his off-season signing from the Red Devils and showcased his abilities against Wolves before the international break. His setup for Pedro Neto blended rapid acceleration and a flawless low cross. His contribution for Malo Gusto entailed moving onto his right before chipping a cross to the back post. His joyous moment with Neto, replicating his prior hug with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, acted as a reminder of how quickly situations evolve. The last time Garnacho encountered Walker? During the Argentine netted for United during their cup final win over Manchester City.
Burnley against Chelsea, Saturday afternoon half past twelve (all times GMT)
The winger vital to stopping Bournemouth's decline
Antoine Semenyo is getting the entire rumour-mill treatment amid a claimed £65m escape clause for a possible mid-season move, the media positioning him for graduation out of the Premier League's middle class. This is to be expected for a winger who has six finishes and three setups and is pleasurable to watch. Still, his side find themselves in an difficult spot, having undergone a role reversal: it is the relegation battlers West Ham who enter on back-to-back victories, while Bournemouth have lost seven-one on aggregate over their past two games following an impressive start to the campaign. Semenyo was denied from the spot by Emi Martínez in the four-nil loss to Aston Villa however facing a defence without a clean sheet since August might be the ideal tonic.
Bournemouth versus West Ham, Saturday three o'clock
Danny Welbeck a surprise option for the Three Lions
It proved notable to listen to Thomas Tuchel reference Danny Welbeck multiple times during the international break despite the fact that the Brighton attacker celebrates 35 next week. “Without even knowing him, I know what he is able to offer me,” commented the England coach. “He can be a stand-in for Harry [Kane] in a very traditional No 9 role.” Having won the final 42 international appearances back in 2018, it's quite plausible that Welbeck may be on the plane for the World Cup assuming he can sustain his scoring performances. The former Manchester United and Arsenal attacker has more goals over every other English footballer in the Premier League this term with six and will be keen to add to that tally when Brighton entertain Brentford in Saturday's match.
Brighton vs Brentford, Saturday afternoon 3:00 PM
The full-back required as playmaker and scorer
The Ryan Sessegnon tale has offered some positivity to Fulham's inconsistent start. The 25-year-old, who came back to his youth team recently following five challenging years in north London, is now a first-team fixture, operating on the left with the unavailable Antonee Robinson. The worry? On two goals, he is their leading marksman this season alongside Harry Wilson. The Mexican striker, their primary attacker last season, has netted a single goal while Rodrigo Muniz is injured for the long term owing to a hamstring operation. Sessegnon is also having to step up as a creator instead of Robinson, who supplied 10 assists in the previous campaign. The Cottagers' following four matches include three among the top five and Crystal Palace, who have let in only nine strikes this season so far. A threat emerges for the club that have earned a reputation for solidity in the central positions.
Fulham versus Sunderland, Saturday 3:00 PM
The moment for Isak to produce for the Reds
The controversy regarding Virgil van Dijk's disallowed goal versus Manchester City did not camouflage Liverpool's shortcomings on the day as they lost to a seventh defeat over ten fixtures. The coach's side need a sustained recovery to enter the championship chase from here, along with a major improvement in form, and the possibility arises with seven of their upcoming ten league games versus clubs presently in the bottom ten in the league. The threat is evident posed by Nottingham Forest, the sole side to hand a loss at Anfield to Liverpool in the last term, however it's not just Liverpool's display when facing long balls and quick transitions that is in focus. It is time that Alexander Isak to perform for Liverpool. The big-money forward has been absent in domestic action for a month having sustained a groin problem during his second consecutive start in quick succession in Europe triumph abroad. Isak returned as a substitute in the Swedish defeat to Switzerland but missed Tuesday's inconsequential game against Slovenia to ensure his fitness for next year's World Cup playoffs. A yellow card during the game would have made him ineligible. He might be short of|lacking|deficient
