Premier division: 10 things to look out for this round of fixtures
1. Garnacho and Walker ready for another battle
A Manchester reunion could be in the offing when the Clarets' Kyle Walker faces the Blues' Alejandro Garnacho at Turf Moor. The attacker is finding his feet in west London following his off-season signing from Old Trafford and demonstrated his skills versus Wolverhampton prior to the fixture pause. His assist for Pedro Neto combined rapid acceleration and a perfect grounded ball. His contribution for Malo Gusto entailed cutting inside before dinking a ball to the back post. His joyous moment with Neto, mirroring his earlier celebration with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus HĂžjlund, was a testament of how quickly situations evolve. The last time Garnacho encountered Walker? During the former found the net for United in the cup final win against Manchester City.
Burnley against Chelsea, Saturday afternoon half past twelve (all times GMT)
The winger crucial to stopping Bournemouth's slide
Antoine Semenyo is attracting the entire rumour-mill focus due to a reported ÂŁ65m buyout clause for a possible winter exit, the media positioning him for advancement out of the Premier League's mid-table ranks. This is to be expected from a winger who has a half-dozen strikes plus three assists who is pleasurable to watch. Still, his team find themselves in an tricky spot, having undergone a body swap: now it's the relegation battlers West Ham who enter with successive wins, whereas Bournemouth have been beaten seven-one combined over their previous two matches following an impressive start to the season. Semenyo saw his attempt stopped from the spot by Emi MartĂnez during the four-nil loss by Aston Villa but confronting a defensive unit lacking a goalless game in the league since the start of the season could be the perfect remedy.
Bournemouth against West Ham, Saturday afternoon 3pm
Danny Welbeck a left-field choice for England
It was intriguing to listen to Thomas Tuchel mention Danny Welbeck on more than one occasion throughout the international break even though the Brighton forward turns 35 next week. âEven without having met him, I know what he is able to provide,â commented the England boss. âHe could serve as a back-up for Harry [Kane] playing a very orthodox striker role.â Having won the most recent of his 42 international appearances several years ago, it's quite plausible that Welbeck might be on the plane to the World Cup if he manages to maintain his goalscoring exploits. The former Manchester United and Arsenal attacker can claim additional strikes over every other English footballer in the Premier League this season with six and will be keen to add to that tally as Brighton welcome Brentford this weekend.
Brighton against Brentford, Saturday 3pm
Ryan Sessegnon required as playmaker and scorer
The narrative around Ryan Sessegnon has offered some comfort to Fulham's inconsistent start. The left-sided player, who returned to his youth team recently after five challenging years with Spurs, has emerged as a first-team fixture, operating on the left flank with the unavailable Antonee Robinson. The worry? On two goals, he remains their joint-top scorer this season together with Harry Wilson. RaĂșl JimĂ©nez, their top scorer last season, has scored a single goal while Rodrigo Muniz is unavailable until 2026 owing to hamstring surgery. Additionally, Sessegnon having to step up as a creator in place of Robinson, who registered 10 assists in the previous campaign. The Cottagers' following four fixtures include three among the top five as well as Crystal Palace, who have conceded only nine strikes in the Premier League this season. Danger looms for a team that have developed a standing for consistency in the middle.
Fulham against Sunderland, Saturday 3pm
5. Time for Alexander Isak to perform for the Merseyside club
The controversy regarding Virgil van Dijk's disallowed goal against Manchester City did not camouflage Liverpool's inferiority during the match as they fell to their seventh loss in 10 games. Arne Slot's team require a sustained recovery to muscle into the league contest from their current spot, plus a significant upturn in results, and a chance arises with seven out of their upcoming ten top-flight fixtures against clubs at the moment in the bottom half in the standings. The threat is obvious from Nottingham Forest, the single club to deliver a loss at Anfield on the champions the previous campaign, however it's not just Liverpool's showing versus aerial passes and counterattacks that remains under the spotlight. Now is the occasion for Alexander Isak to show up for Liverpool. The big-money forward has not featured for his club in a month having sustained a groin injury while his second appearance in the lineup over a short period in the Champions League triumph at Eintracht Frankfurt. He reappeared from the bench in the Swedish reverse against Switzerland but was rested the midweek inconsequential game with Slovenia to secure his readiness for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers. A caution during the game could have suspended him. Isak may be short of|lacking|deficient
