Premier League: ten key points to look out for this weekend
Walker faces Garnacho ready for a new encounter
A Manchester reunion may be in store as the Clarets' Kyle Walker lines up against the Blues' Alejandro Garnacho on Burnley's turf. The attacker has started to settle in west London after his close-season transfer from the Red Devils and showcased his abilities versus Wolverhampton prior to the national team interval. His assist for Pedro Neto combined rapid acceleration and a ideal low cross. His creation for Malo Gusto involved cutting inside before dinking a cross to the back post. His goal reaction with Neto, mirroring his prior embrace with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, served as a reminder of how quickly things transform. The last time Garnacho took on Walker? When the youngster netted for United during their cup final win over Manchester City.
Burnley against Chelsea, Saturday 12.30pm (start times GMT)
2. Semenyo vital to ending Cherries' slide
Antoine Semenyo is getting the full gossip column attention due to a claimed £65m escape clause for his prospective winter exit, the tabloids positioning him for promotion from the Premier League's mid-table ranks. That is understandable for a attacker who has a half-dozen strikes and three helpers and remains joyous to watch. Still, his team are in an tricky spot, experiencing a role reversal: it is the bottom-half team West Ham who enter on back-to-back victories, while Bournemouth have lost 7-1 combined over their previous two games following an strong beginning to the season. Semenyo was denied from the spot by Emi Martínez during the 4-0 defeat by Aston Villa yet facing a defensive unit lacking a clean sheet for months may prove the ideal tonic.
Bournemouth versus West Ham, Saturday 3:00 PM
3. Welbeck an outside shout for England
It proved interesting to hear Thomas Tuchel name-drop Danny Welbeck multiple times throughout the fixture pause despite the fact that the Brighton forward reaches 35 next week. “Despite not knowing him, I understand what he can provide,” commented the England coach. “He can be a stand-in for Harry [Kane] playing a quite traditional striker role.” Earning the most recent of his 42 England games several years ago, there is every chance that Welbeck might be on the plane for the World Cup provided he is able to continue his scoring performances. The former Manchester United and Arsenal striker has additional strikes over every other English player in the top flight this campaign having six and will be anxious to add to that count as Brighton host Brentford on Saturday.
Brighton versus Brentford, Saturday 3:00 PM
The full-back crucial as assist provider and scorer
Sessegnon's story has provided a degree of positivity to Fulham's uneven beginning. The left-sided player, who rejoined his youth team recently following five challenging years with Spurs, is now a regular starter, operating on the left with the injured Antonee Robinson. The issue? On two goals, he's also their top goalscorer this season as well as Harry Wilson. Raúl Jiménez, their top scorer in the last term, has scored a single goal while Rodrigo Muniz is injured for the long term because of a hamstring operation. Additionally, Sessegnon having to step up as an assist provider instead of Robinson, who registered 10 assists in the previous campaign. The Cottagers' following four fixtures take in three among the leading five as well as Crystal Palace, who have let in only nine strikes in the league to date. Trouble awaits for a team that have developed a standing for mid-table stability.
Fulham vs Sunderland, Saturday afternoon 3pm
The occasion for Isak to produce for the Reds
The controversy about Virgil van Dijk's ruled-out strike in the match with Manchester City failed to mask Liverpool's shortcomings during the match as they fell to their seventh loss in ten matches. The manager's side need a sustained recovery to force their way into the league contest from their current spot, as well as a significant boost in performance, and opportunity emerges as seven out of their next 10 league games against sides at the moment in the bottom half of the table. The risk is obvious from Nottingham Forest, the only team to deliver a home league defeat on the champions the previous campaign, yet it isn't solely Liverpool's showing against aerial passes and fast breaks that remains under scrutiny. The moment has come for Alexander Isak to show up wearing red. The big-money forward has been absent for his club in a month having sustained a groin problem when making his second appearance in the lineup in quick succession in the Champions League triumph abroad. The striker came back off the bench during Sweden's reverse to Switzerland but sat out the subsequent inconsequential game against Slovenia to ensure his fitness for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers. A yellow card in that match might have made him ineligible. The striker could be short of|lacking|deficient
