English top flight: 10 things to keep an eye on this weekend
1. Garnacho and Walker set for a fresh encounter
Another northwest showdown may be on the cards when Burnley's Kyle Walker lines up against Chelsea's Alejandro Garnacho at Turf Moor. The wide man is finding his feet in west London following his summer move from Old Trafford and showcased his talents versus Wolverhampton before the national team interval. His assist for Pedro Neto mixed blistering pace with a perfect grounded ball. His creation for Malo Gusto involved shifting infield before dinking a delivery to the back post. His joyous moment with Neto, echoing his prior hug with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, was a testament of the speed at which circumstances change. The previous occasion Garnacho encountered Walker? During the youngster netted for United during their Wembley triumph over Manchester City.
Burnley versus Chelsea, Saturday 12.30pm (start times GMT)
Antoine Semenyo vital to halting Bournemouth's decline
Antoine Semenyo is receiving the entire rumour-mill attention due to a reported £65m escape clause for a potential January departure, the gossip columns setting him up for graduation from the Premier League's middle class. That is understandable for a attacker with six goals and three setups who is delightful to watch. Still, his side occupy an difficult spot, having engaged in a form flip: it is the relegation battlers West Ham who arrive on consecutive triumphs, whereas Bournemouth are down seven to one over two games in their previous two games after an promising opening to the campaign. Semenyo had his effort saved from the penalty spot by Emi Martínez in the four-nil loss to Aston Villa however taking on a defensive unit lacking a goalless game since August could be the best remedy.
Bournemouth versus West Ham, Saturday 3:00 PM
The striker a left-field shout for the Three Lions
It was intriguing to listen to Thomas Tuchel mention Danny Welbeck multiple times during the national team window even though the Brighton attacker celebrates 35 next week. “Even without being familiar with him, I am aware what he can offer me,” commented the England manager. “He could serve as a stand-in for Harry [Kane] as a very traditional centre-forward position.” Gaining the most recent of his 42 international appearances in 2018, there is every chance that Welbeck might be selected to the World Cup assuming he manages to continue his goal-getting feats. The ex- Manchester United and Arsenal forward can claim more goals compared to any English player in the Premier League this campaign having six and remains eager to boost that total when Brighton entertain Brentford in Saturday's match.
Brighton vs Brentford, Saturday 3pm
4. Sessegnon crucial as playmaker and scorer
The narrative around Ryan Sessegnon has offered a measure of comfort to Fulham's inconsistent start. The former Tottenham man, who came back to his former side recently following five tough years at Tottenham, is now a regular starter, driving down the left side in the absence of the unavailable Antonee Robinson. The concern? Having scored twice, he remains their top goalscorer in the league together with Harry Wilson. Raúl Jiménez, their leading man the previous campaign, has netted a single goal whereas Rodrigo Muniz is unavailable until 2026 because of hamstring surgery. Sessegnon is also being required to contribute as a creator replacing Robinson, who supplied 10 assists in the previous campaign. Fulham's next four matches take in three from the leading five plus Crystal Palace, who have let in only nine strikes in the Premier League so far. Danger looms for a team that have earned a standing for mid-table stability.
Fulham vs Sunderland, Saturday three o'clock
5. Time for Alexander Isak to deliver for the Merseyside club
The controversy surrounding Virgil van Dijk's disallowed goal in the match with Manchester City could not hide Liverpool's shortcomings in that game as they fell to their seventh loss over ten fixtures. Arne Slot's team need a prolonged upturn to enter the title race from this position, plus a dramatic boost in performance, and a chance emerges with seven out of their following ten league games versus sides currently in the bottom ten in the league. The threat is evident from Nottingham Forest, the sole side to deliver a loss at Anfield to Liverpool last season, however it's not just Liverpool's showing against long balls and fast breaks that is in focus. It is time for Alexander Isak to deliver in a Liverpool shirt. The expensive signing has been absent at club level over four weeks having sustained a muscle issue during his second appearance in the lineup over a short period in the Champions League victory abroad. He reappeared from the bench in the Swedish reverse against Switzerland but was rested the subsequent dead rubber with Slovenia to guarantee his readiness for next year's World Cup knockout rounds. A caution during the game could have suspended him. The striker could be short of|lacking|deficient
