English top flight: ten key points to watch for this matchday
Garnacho versus Walker poised for a new clash
A Mancunian rematch may be in store as Burnley's Kyle Walker lines up against Chelsea's Alejandro Garnacho on Burnley's turf. The attacker has started to settle at Stamford Bridge after his off-season signing from Manchester United and demonstrated his abilities versus Wolverhampton before the international break. His assist for Pedro Neto blended blistering pace and a perfect along-the-deck delivery. His creation for Malo Gusto entailed cutting inside prior to dinking a ball toward the far post. His celebration with Neto, echoing his earlier embrace with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, was a testament of how quickly things transform. The previous occasion Garnacho faced Walker? Back when the Argentine found the net for United during their cup final win over Manchester City.
Burnley versus Chelsea, Saturday afternoon half past twelve (kick-offs GMT)
The winger crucial to halting Cherries' slump
Antoine Semenyo is getting the entire rumour-mill attention following a alleged £65m release clause for his potential winter exit, the media setting him up for advancement from the Premier League's mid-table ranks. This is to be expected for a wide player with a half-dozen strikes plus three setups who is joyous to watch. However, his team find themselves in an tricky situation, experiencing a role reversal: it is the struggling side West Ham who come in with consecutive triumphs, while Bournemouth have been beaten seven to one on aggregate over their past two games after an impressive start to the season. Semenyo was denied from the penalty spot by Emi Martínez in the four-nil loss by Aston Villa yet confronting a backline lacking a clean sheet since August could be the best tonic.
Bournemouth vs West Ham, Saturday 3:00 PM
Danny Welbeck an outside option for the national team
It seemed interesting to hear Thomas Tuchel reference Danny Welbeck multiple times throughout the international break even though the Brighton forward celebrates 35 next week. “Despite not being familiar with him, I am aware what he is able to provide,” commented the England manager. “He could serve as a stand-in for Harry [Kane] in a very orthodox striker role.” Having won the last of his 42 England games in 2018, it's quite plausible that Welbeck could be selected for the World Cup assuming he manages to sustain his goalscoring feats. The former Manchester United and Arsenal attacker can claim a greater tally than any other English footballer in England's top division this season on six and will be anxious to increase that total as Brighton welcome Brentford this weekend.
Brighton vs Brentford, Saturday three o'clock
The full-back needed as playmaker and scorer
The narrative around Ryan Sessegnon has offered a measure of positivity to Fulham's bumpy opening. The former Tottenham man, who returned to his boyhood club last year following five challenging years at Tottenham, has emerged as a consistent pick, driving down the left side in the absence of the sidelined Antonee Robinson. The concern? On two goals, he is their top goalscorer in the league together with Harry Wilson. Their main striker, their leading man the previous campaign, has scored once while Rodrigo Muniz is unavailable for the long term owing to a surgical procedure. Sessegnon is also having to step up as an assist provider instead of Robinson, who supplied ten helpers last time round. The Cottagers' next four games take in three of the best five as well as Crystal Palace, who have allowed merely nine goals in the league so far. Trouble awaits for a side that have developed a standing for mid-table stability.
Fulham versus Sunderland, Saturday afternoon 3pm
The occasion for Isak to deliver for the Reds
The controversy about Virgil van Dijk's disallowed goal against Manchester City could not hide Liverpool's inferiority in that game as they fell to a seventh defeat over ten fixtures. The manager's squad must have a consistent improvement to muscle into the league contest from their current spot, plus a major upturn in results, and a chance presents itself as seven from their upcoming ten Premier League matches facing clubs currently in the bottom ten in the standings. The threat is obvious posed by Nottingham Forest, the sole side to inflict a home league defeat on the champions the previous campaign, yet it isn't solely Liverpool's performance against direct play and counterattacks that will be under the spotlight. The moment has come for Alexander Isak to deliver wearing red. The expensive signing has been absent for his club in a month having sustained a groin injury during his second start in four days in continental competition victory at Eintracht Frankfurt. He reappeared off the bench during Sweden's defeat by Switzerland but was rested the subsequent inconsequential game versus Slovenia to secure his readiness for the World Cup playoffs. A caution in that match could have ruled him out. The striker could be short of|lacking|deficient
