Premier League: ten highlights to look out for this matchday
Walker faces Garnacho set for another encounter
A Mancunian rematch might be on the cards as the Clarets' Kyle Walker confronts Chelsea's Alejandro Garnacho in Lancashire. The wide man has started to settle in west London following his off-season signing from the Red Devils and showcased his talents against Wolves before the fixture pause. His key pass for Pedro Neto mixed rapid acceleration with a flawless grounded ball. His build-up for Malo Gusto entailed moving onto his right before dinking a ball toward the far post. His celebration with Neto, echoing his earlier celebration with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, acted as a testament of the speed at which situations evolve. The last time Garnacho took on Walker? Back when the former found the net for United during their FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
Burnley versus Chelsea, Saturday 12.30pm (start times GMT)
The winger crucial to ending Bournemouth's decline
Antoine Semenyo is getting the complete rumour-mill treatment due to a alleged ÂŁ65m release clause for a possible January departure, the gossip columns setting him up for graduation out of the Premier League's average tier. It is to be expected for a wide player with a half-dozen strikes plus three assists who is pleasurable to watch. However, his team occupy an tricky spot, having undergone a body swap: now it's the struggling side West Ham who enter on consecutive triumphs, whereas Bournemouth have been beaten 7-1 on aggregate in their past two games following an promising start to the season. Semenyo saw his attempt stopped from the spot by Emi MartĂnez in the four-nil loss to Aston Villa but confronting a defence that hasn't kept a clean sheet since August could be the ideal remedy.
Bournemouth vs West Ham, Saturday afternoon 3pm
Danny Welbeck a left-field option for England
It seemed intriguing to listen to Thomas Tuchel name-drop Danny Welbeck on more than one occasion throughout the national team window although the Brighton forward turns 35 in the coming days. “Even without knowing him, I understand what he is able to provide,” commented the England coach. “He might act as a reserve for Harry [Kane] in a quite orthodox striker position.” Having won the most recent of his 42 England games back in 2018, it's entirely possible that Welbeck could be in the squad for the World Cup if he is able to continue his goal-getting exploits. The former Manchester United and Arsenal forward can claim a greater tally than any other English footballer in England's top division this term with six and remains eager to add to that total when Brighton welcome Brentford in Saturday's match.
Brighton vs Brentford, Saturday 3pm
4. Sessegnon needed as creator and scorer
The narrative around Ryan Sessegnon has provided some comfort to Fulham's uneven beginning. The former Tottenham man, who rejoined his former side recently after five difficult years with Spurs, has become a first-team fixture, operating on the left flank with the sidelined Antonee Robinson. The worry? With two goals, he remains their top goalscorer in the Premier League as well as Harry Wilson. Raúl Jiménez, their primary attacker the previous campaign, has scored once whereas Rodrigo Muniz is injured for an extended period due to hamstring surgery. Sessegnon must also being required to contribute in a creative role in place of Robinson, who provided ten helpers in the previous campaign. Fulham's upcoming four fixtures take in three among the leading five as well as Crystal Palace, who have let in just nine scores in the Premier League so far. Trouble awaits for a side that have developed a name for mid-table stability.
Fulham versus Sunderland, Saturday afternoon 3pm
The occasion for Isak to produce for Liverpool
The debate regarding Virgil van Dijk's chalked-off effort against Manchester City could not hide Liverpool's inferiority in that game as they lost to a seventh defeat in ten matches. The manager's team must have a consistent improvement to force their way into the league contest from this position, as well as a major boost in performance, and opportunity presents itself as seven of their following ten top-flight fixtures facing teams presently in the lower half in the league. The threat is obvious posed by Nottingham Forest, the only team to deliver a defeat on their own turf to the title holders the previous campaign, yet it isn't solely Liverpool's showing when facing aerial passes and quick transitions that is in focus. It is time for Alexander Isak to perform in a Liverpool shirt. The big-money forward has not played at club level in a month after picking up a groin injury during his second consecutive start over a short period in Europe victory at Eintracht Frankfurt. He reappeared as a substitute during Sweden's reverse by Switzerland but sat out Tuesday's dead rubber against Slovenia to guarantee his readiness for the upcoming World Cup knockout rounds. A yellow card in that match could have suspended him. He might be short of|lacking|deficient
