Premier division: ten key points to keep an eye on this round of fixtures
Walker faces Garnacho set for a new battle
A Manchester reunion may be in the offing as Burnley's Kyle Walker confronts Chelsea's Alejandro Garnacho at Turf Moor. The attacker is adapting well in west London following his close-season transfer from Old Trafford and demonstrated his abilities against Wolves before the fixture pause. His setup for Pedro Neto combined blistering pace and a perfect along-the-deck delivery. His creation for Malo Gusto required cutting inside before lofting a ball toward the far post. His joyous moment with Neto, echoing his prior embrace with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, acted as a reminder of the pace with which things transform. The last time Garnacho faced Walker? When the Argentine netted for United during their FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
Burnley against Chelsea, Saturday half past twelve (kick-offs GMT)
2. Semenyo vital to stopping Bournemouth's slump
Antoine Semenyo is getting the complete rumour-mill focus due to a alleged £65m escape clause for his prospective mid-season move, the tabloids preparing him for promotion out of the Premier League's middle class. It is understandable for a winger who has six goals plus three helpers and is joyous to watch. Still, his side occupy an tricky spot, having engaged in a body swap: now it's the struggling side West Ham who come in with successive wins, whereas Bournemouth have been beaten 7-1 on aggregate in their past two games following an impressive start to the season. Semenyo saw his attempt stopped from the spot by Emi Martínez in their four-nil loss to Aston Villa however taking on a defence that hasn't kept a goalless game in the league since the start of the season may prove the perfect tonic.
Bournemouth vs West Ham, Saturday afternoon 3pm
The striker an outside choice for the Three Lions
It proved notable to hear Thomas Tuchel mention Danny Welbeck multiple times during the fixture pause even though the Brighton forward reaches 35 soon. “Even without having met him, I am aware what he is able to give me,” said the England boss. “He could serve as a back-up for Harry [Kane] playing a quite conventional striker position.” Gaining the most recent of his 42 caps back in 2018, there is every chance that Welbeck might be on the plane for the World Cup assuming he can sustain his goalscoring exploits. The ex- Manchester United and Arsenal attacker can claim a greater tally over every other English performer in England's top division this season having six and remains anxious to increase that tally as Brighton host Brentford this weekend.
Brighton vs Brentford, Saturday afternoon 3pm
The full-back required as assist provider and finisher
The narrative around Ryan Sessegnon has offered some positivity to Fulham's uneven start. The left-sided player, who rejoined his youth team last year following five difficult years with Spurs, has emerged as a consistent pick, driving down the left in the absence of the unavailable Antonee Robinson. The worry? On two goals, he's also their top goalscorer in the Premier League as well as Harry Wilson. Their main striker, their top scorer the previous campaign, has netted a single goal while Rodrigo Muniz is out until 2026 due to a hamstring operation. Sessegnon must also having to step up in a creative role replacing Robinson, who supplied 10 assists last season. The Cottagers' upcoming four games include three from the leading five plus Crystal Palace, who have conceded just nine goals in the league to date. Trouble awaits for a side that have earned a reputation for mid-table stability.
Fulham vs Sunderland, Saturday 3:00 PM
5. Time for The striker to produce for the Reds
The debate surrounding Virgil van Dijk's chalked-off effort in the match with Manchester City did not camouflage Liverpool's deficiencies in that game as they succumbed to loss number seven in ten matches. The coach's squad need a consistent improvement to muscle into the league contest from here, plus a significant improvement in form, and opportunity arises as seven of their following ten top-flight fixtures facing sides at the moment in the bottom ten in the standings. The threat is clear posed by Nottingham Forest, the single club to hand a defeat on their own turf to Liverpool the previous campaign, however it's not just Liverpool's performance when facing aerial passes and fast breaks that will be in focus. Now is the occasion for Alexander Isak to show up in a Liverpool shirt. The £125m striker has not played in domestic action for a month having sustained a muscle issue when making his second appearance in the lineup in four days in continental competition victory in Germany. He reappeared from the bench in Sweden's reverse to Switzerland but sat out the midweek meaningless match versus Slovenia to guarantee his availability for next year's World Cup qualifiers. A yellow card during the game could have ruled him out. Isak may be short of|lacking|deficient
