Premier division: 10 things to keep an eye on this round of fixtures
Walker faces Garnacho set for another clash
Another northwest showdown may be in the offing as the Clarets' Kyle Walker confronts Chelsea's Alejandro Garnacho on Burnley's turf. The wide man is adapting well at Stamford Bridge following his summer move from Manchester United and displayed his abilities in the Wolves match before the international break. His assist for Pedro Neto blended blistering pace with a flawless along-the-deck delivery. His build-up for Malo Gusto involved shifting infield before lofting a cross toward the far post. His celebration with Neto, replicating his previous hug with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, served as a reminder of the speed at which things transform. The previous occasion Garnacho faced Walker? During the Argentine scored for United in the FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
Burnley vs Chelsea, Saturday afternoon 12.30pm (kick-offs GMT)
2. Semenyo vital to ending Bournemouth's slide
Antoine Semenyo is attracting the complete gossip column focus following a alleged £65m buyout clause for a possible January departure, the gossip columns preparing him for graduation from the Premier League's average tier. That is to be expected for a wide player with six finishes and three assists who is pleasurable to watch. Still, his side find themselves in an difficult situation, experiencing a role reversal: now it's the bottom-half team West Ham who enter on successive wins, while Bournemouth have lost seven-one on aggregate in their past two games after an impressive beginning to the season. Semenyo was denied from the penalty spot by Emi Martínez during the heavy loss to Aston Villa however taking on a defence without a shutout since August could be the best tonic.
Bournemouth vs West Ham, Saturday three o'clock
3. Welbeck a surprise choice for the Three Lions
It was interesting to hear Thomas Tuchel reference Danny Welbeck multiple times during the national team window although the Brighton attacker turns 35 in the coming days. “Without even knowing him, I understand what he can offer me,” said the England boss. “He could serve as a reserve for Harry [Kane] as a very conventional centre-forward position.” Gaining the final 42 caps back in 2018, there is every chance that Welbeck may be in the squad to the World Cup provided he is able to maintain his goal-getting exploits. Once of Manchester United and Arsenal forward can claim additional strikes over every other English footballer in the Premier League this campaign having six and remains anxious to boost that tally when Brighton host Brentford in Saturday's match.
Brighton vs Brentford, Saturday 3pm
4. Sessegnon required as creator and scorer
The Ryan Sessegnon tale has brought some positivity to Fulham's bumpy start. The 25-year-old, who rejoined his boyhood club recently following five difficult years at Tottenham, is now a first-team fixture, operating on the left with the sidelined Antonee Robinson. The issue? With two goals, he remains their leading marksman in the league alongside Harry Wilson. Their main striker, their top scorer in the last term, has bagged a single goal while Rodrigo Muniz is unavailable for the long term owing to hamstring surgery. Additionally, Sessegnon needing to deliver as an assist provider in place of Robinson, who supplied ten helpers last time round. The Cottagers' following four games include three of the best five and Crystal Palace, who have conceded only nine goals this season so far. Trouble awaits for the club that have earned a reputation for solidity in the central positions.
Fulham against Sunderland, Saturday 3:00 PM
5. Time for The striker to produce for the Merseyside club
The dispute surrounding Virgil van Dijk's disallowed goal in the match with Manchester City could not hide Liverpool's deficiencies during the match as they fell to their seventh loss in 10 games. The manager's side must have a prolonged upturn to force their way into the championship chase from here, plus a significant boost in performance, and opportunity emerges with seven of their next 10 top-flight fixtures against sides currently in the bottom ten in the league. The risk is evident from Nottingham Forest, the only team to inflict a defeat on their own turf to Liverpool in the last term, but it is not only Liverpool's showing when facing long balls and counterattacks that remains under the spotlight. The moment has come that Alexander Isak to deliver in a Liverpool shirt. The expensive signing has not featured in domestic action over four weeks having sustained a groin problem while his second appearance in the lineup over a short period in the Champions League triumph abroad. The striker came back from the bench in the Swedish reverse against Switzerland but sat out the midweek meaningless match with Slovenia to secure his availability for the upcoming World Cup playoffs. A booking during the game would have suspended him. Isak may be short of|lacking|deficient
