English top flight: 10 things to watch for this weekend
1. Garnacho and Walker ready for another clash
A Manchester reunion may be in store as Burnley's Kyle Walker lines up against Chelsea's Alejandro Garnacho on Burnley's turf. The wide man is finding his feet in west London after his summer move from Old Trafford and demonstrated his abilities in the Wolves match prior to the fixture pause. His setup 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 joyous moment with Neto, replicating his prior hug with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, was a indication of the pace with which things transform. The most recent instance Garnacho took on Walker? During the former found the net for United in their FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
Burnley against Chelsea, Saturday afternoon 12.30pm (start times GMT)
The winger key to halting Cherries' slump
Antoine Semenyo is getting the entire transfer speculation treatment following a alleged £65m buyout clause for his potential January departure, the media setting him up for promotion out of the Premier League's mid-table ranks. This is predictable from a wide player with six goals and three setups and is delightful to watch. Still, his side occupy an awkward spot, experiencing a body swap: it is the bottom-half team West Ham who arrive on back-to-back victories, while Bournemouth are down seven to one over two games over their last two games following an impressive beginning to the season. Semenyo had his effort saved on the penalty by Emi Martínez in the 4-0 defeat by Aston Villa however facing a defensive unit lacking a clean sheet in the league since the start of the season might be the ideal remedy.
Bournemouth vs West Ham, Saturday 3:00 PM
The striker an outside choice for the Three Lions
It seemed intriguing to hear Thomas Tuchel name-drop Danny Welbeck on more than one occasion throughout the national team window even though the Brighton forward turns 35 next week. “Even without having met him, I am aware what he could offer me,” said the England coach. “He can be a back-up for Harry [Kane] in a quite orthodox No 9 position.” Earning the last of his 42 international appearances in 2018, it's entirely possible that Welbeck may be selected to the World Cup provided he is able to sustain his scoring feats. Once of Manchester United and Arsenal striker can claim a greater tally compared to any English performer in the Premier League this campaign on six and is anxious to add to that total when Brighton entertain Brentford this weekend.
Brighton versus Brentford, Saturday afternoon 3pm
Ryan Sessegnon crucial as playmaker and finisher
The narrative around Ryan Sessegnon has provided a measure of positivity to Fulham's inconsistent beginning. The 25-year-old, who returned to his youth team last year after five challenging years with Spurs, is now a consistent pick, pushing forward on the left in the absence of the injured Antonee Robinson. The concern? On two goals, he's also their joint-top scorer this season as well as Harry Wilson. Raúl Jiménez, their primary attacker the previous campaign, has scored a single goal while Rodrigo Muniz is out for the long term due to a hamstring operation. Additionally, Sessegnon being required to contribute in a creative role in place of Robinson, who provided 10 assists in the previous campaign. The Cottagers' following four games feature three of the leading five and Crystal Palace, who have allowed just nine strikes in the league this season. Danger looms for a side that have developed a reputation for solidity in the central positions.
Fulham against Sunderland, Saturday 3pm
The occasion for Alexander Isak to deliver for the Reds
The controversy surrounding Virgil van Dijk's chalked-off effort in the match with Manchester City failed to mask Liverpool's inferiority on the day as they fell to a seventh defeat in 10 games. Arne Slot's side must have a sustained recovery to enter the league contest from here, along with a major boost in performance, and opportunity presents itself with seven of their upcoming ten league games against clubs at the moment in the bottom ten in the standings. The threat is obvious posed by Nottingham Forest, the only team to inflict a loss at Anfield to the title holders last season, however it's not just Liverpool's display versus direct play and quick transitions that is under the spotlight. The moment has come that Alexander Isak to show up wearing red. The expensive signing has been absent at club level in a month having sustained a groin problem while his second appearance in the lineup in quick succession in the Champions League victory abroad. The striker came back as a substitute in Sweden's defeat against Switzerland but was rested the subsequent inconsequential game versus Slovenia to secure his availability for next year's World Cup playoffs. A caution during the game would have ruled him out. He might be short of|lacking|deficient
