English top flight: 10 things to keep an eye on this matchday
Garnacho versus Walker set for a new battle
Another northwest showdown may be in the offing as the Clarets' Kyle Walker faces Chelsea's Alejandro Garnacho on Burnley's turf. The wide man is adapting well in west London following his off-season signing from the Red Devils and demonstrated his skills versus Wolverhampton before the fixture pause. His setup for Pedro Neto mixed rapid acceleration and a perfect along-the-deck delivery. His build-up for Malo Gusto entailed moving onto his right before dinking a cross to the back post. His celebration with Neto, mirroring his previous hug with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, acted as a reminder of the pace with which circumstances change. The most recent instance Garnacho encountered Walker? When the former found the net for United during their cup final win against Manchester City.
Burnley vs Chelsea, Saturday half past twelve (start times GMT)
Antoine Semenyo vital to ending Bournemouth's slump
Antoine Semenyo is attracting the entire transfer speculation focus amid a reported £65m buyout clause for his potential January departure, the gossip columns positioning him for graduation from the Premier League's middle class. This is predictable from a wide player with six finishes and three assists and is pleasurable to watch. Nonetheless, his side are in an awkward spot, having undergone a role reversal: it is the struggling side West Ham who arrive with successive wins, while Bournemouth have been beaten 7-1 over two games in their previous two games after an strong beginning to the season. Semenyo had his effort saved from the penalty spot by Emi Martínez in the four-nil loss by Aston Villa however confronting a defence lacking a clean sheet in the league since the start of the season could be the best solution.
Bournemouth vs West Ham, Saturday three o'clock
The striker a surprise choice for England
It proved interesting to hear Thomas Tuchel reference Danny Welbeck multiple times during the national team window even though the Brighton striker celebrates 35 in the coming days. “Despite not knowing him, I understand what he could offer me,” said the England boss. “He might act as a back-up for Harry [Kane] as a quite conventional No 9 role.” Having won the last of his 42 international appearances in 2018, it's quite plausible that Welbeck could be on the plane for the World Cup if he is able to maintain his goalscoring feats. The former Manchester United and Arsenal forward can claim a greater tally compared to any English performer in the Premier League this term on six and remains eager to add to that tally as Brighton host Brentford on Saturday.
Brighton vs Brentford, Saturday 3pm
Ryan Sessegnon needed as assist provider and scorer
The Ryan Sessegnon tale has brought some comfort to Fulham's uneven opening. The left-sided player, who returned to his boyhood club recently after five tough years in north London, has become a consistent pick, pushing forward on the left with the sidelined Antonee Robinson. The issue? On two goals, he's also their joint-top scorer in the league as well as Harry Wilson. The Mexican striker, their leading man last season, has bagged one goal while Rodrigo Muniz is injured for the long term due to hamstring surgery. Sessegnon is also being required to contribute as a creator in place of Robinson, who registered ten helpers last time round. Fulham's next four games include three among the leading five plus Crystal Palace, who have allowed merely nine strikes in the Premier League this season. Trouble awaits for a team that have developed a reputation for consistency in the middle.
Fulham vs Sunderland, Saturday 3:00 PM
The moment for Alexander Isak to deliver for Liverpool
The debate surrounding Virgil van Dijk's ruled-out strike against Manchester City could not hide Liverpool's inferiority on the day as they succumbed to loss number seven over ten fixtures. The manager's squad need a prolonged upturn to enter the title race from here, as well as a significant upturn in results, and the possibility arises as seven out of their next 10 league games facing teams at the moment in the bottom ten in the league. The risk is clear from Nottingham Forest, the sole side to hand a defeat on their own turf to the title holders the previous campaign, yet it isn't solely Liverpool's showing versus aerial passes and counterattacks that will be under scrutiny. Now is the occasion that Alexander Isak to show up wearing red. The big-money forward has been absent for his club over four weeks having sustained a groin injury when making his second appearance in the lineup in quick succession in continental competition triumph at Eintracht Frankfurt. The striker came back from the bench in Sweden's defeat against Switzerland but sat out Tuesday's inconsequential game with Slovenia to guarantee his readiness for the upcoming World Cup knockout rounds. A yellow card during the game would have made him ineligible. He might be short of|lacking|deficient
