English top flight: 10 things to keep an eye on this matchday
1. Garnacho and Walker ready for a fresh encounter
Another northwest showdown might be on the cards when the Clarets' Kyle Walker lines up against Chelsea's Alejandro Garnacho at Turf Moor. The attacker has started to settle with Chelsea after his close-season transfer from Manchester United and showcased his skills against Wolves before the international break. His setup for Pedro Neto combined electric speed and a perfect along-the-deck delivery. His creation for Malo Gusto entailed shifting infield prior to dinking a delivery across the goalmouth. His joyous moment with Neto, mirroring his previous hug with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, acted as a indication of how quickly circumstances change. The previous occasion Garnacho encountered Walker? When the former found the net for United during their cup final win over Manchester City.
Burnley vs Chelsea, Saturday afternoon 12.30pm (all times GMT)
The winger crucial to halting Bournemouth's decline
Antoine Semenyo is attracting the complete gossip column focus due to a alleged £65m release clause for his possible winter exit, the media positioning him for advancement from the Premier League's average tier. This is to be expected for a winger with six finishes plus three setups who is joyous to watch. However, Bournemouth find themselves in an awkward position, experiencing a role reversal: now it's the relegation battlers West Ham who arrive on consecutive triumphs, whereas Bournemouth have been beaten 7-1 over two games in their past two games following an impressive opening to the campaign. Semenyo saw his attempt stopped from the spot by Emi Martínez in their heavy loss by Aston Villa however taking on a backline that hasn't kept a shutout since August may prove the best tonic.
Bournemouth against West Ham, Saturday 3pm
Danny Welbeck a left-field choice for the national team
It was notable to hear Thomas Tuchel reference Danny Welbeck multiple times during the fixture pause despite the fact that the Brighton attacker celebrates 35 in the coming days. “Even without having met him, I understand what he can provide,” stated the England boss. “He can be a reserve for Harry [Kane] as a very traditional centre-forward position.” Earning the final 42 caps in 2018, there is every chance that Welbeck could be in the squad to the World Cup provided he manages to continue his scoring performances. Once of Manchester United and Arsenal forward boasts a greater tally compared to any English footballer in England's top division this season on six and will be keen to boost that count when Brighton host Brentford this weekend.
Brighton against Brentford, Saturday three o'clock
Ryan Sessegnon needed as assist provider and finisher
The narrative around Ryan Sessegnon has provided a measure of comfort to Fulham's bumpy beginning. The former Tottenham man, who came back to his youth team recently after five challenging years with Spurs, has emerged as a first-team fixture, pushing forward on the left flank in the absence of the injured Antonee Robinson. The concern? On two goals, he is their leading marksman this season together with Harry Wilson. The Mexican striker, their leading man in the last term, has bagged once whereas Rodrigo Muniz is unavailable for an extended period owing to a hamstring operation. Additionally, Sessegnon being required to contribute in a creative role instead of Robinson, who registered ten setups last time round. Fulham's following four games include three among the top five and Crystal Palace, who have let in merely nine scores this season so far. Trouble awaits for a side that have earned a reputation for mid-table stability.
Fulham versus Sunderland, Saturday afternoon three o'clock
5. Time for Isak to produce for the Merseyside club
The controversy surrounding Virgil van Dijk's chalked-off effort in the match with Manchester City failed to mask Liverpool's inferiority during the match as they fell to a seventh defeat in ten matches. The manager's team must have a prolonged upturn to enter the title race from their current spot, plus a significant upturn in results, and opportunity arises as seven of their upcoming ten top-flight fixtures versus teams currently in the lower half in the standings. The threat is evident posed by Nottingham Forest, the sole side to hand a defeat on their own turf to the title holders last season, yet it isn't solely Liverpool's showing when facing direct play and fast breaks that is in focus. Now is the occasion that Alexander Isak to deliver in a Liverpool shirt. The big-money forward has not featured at club level for a month having sustained a muscle issue during his second start in four days in the Champions League victory abroad. The striker came back off the bench during Sweden's reverse by Switzerland but missed the midweek inconsequential game with Slovenia to ensure his readiness for next year's World Cup knockout rounds. A booking on Tuesday would have made him ineligible. Isak may be short of|lacking|deficient
