Premier division: ten key points to watch for this weekend
1. Garnacho and Walker poised for another battle
A Mancunian rematch may be on the cards as the Clarets' Kyle Walker lines up against the Blues' Alejandro Garnacho on Burnley's turf. The attacker has started to settle at Stamford Bridge after his summer move from Manchester United and showcased his talents in the Wolves match prior to the national team interval. His setup for Pedro Neto blended blistering pace with a flawless along-the-deck delivery. His creation for Malo Gusto entailed moving onto his right before lofting a delivery across the goalmouth. His celebration with Neto, replicating his previous embrace with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, served as a testament of how quickly things transform. The last time Garnacho took on Walker? When the Argentine scored for United during their cup final win against Manchester City.
Burnley versus Chelsea, Saturday afternoon 12.30pm (start times GMT)
2. Semenyo key to stopping Bournemouth's decline
Antoine Semenyo is getting the full gossip column focus amid a alleged £65m buyout clause for a potential January departure, the tabloids setting him up for graduation out of the Premier League's average tier. This is to be expected for a attacker with six goals plus three assists and remains delightful to watch. Still, his side find themselves in an tricky position, having engaged in a form flip: it is the bottom-half team West Ham who arrive on back-to-back victories, whereas Bournemouth are down seven to one on aggregate in their previous two fixtures following an impressive start to the season. Semenyo saw his attempt stopped on the penalty by Emi Martínez during the 4-0 defeat to Aston Villa yet facing a backline lacking a clean sheet since August could be the best remedy.
Bournemouth versus West Ham, Saturday afternoon 3pm
The striker an outside option for the Three Lions
It was notable to hear Thomas Tuchel mention Danny Welbeck multiple times during the international break even though the Brighton attacker turns 35 next week. “Even without knowing him, I am aware what he is able to provide,” said the England boss. “He might act as a reserve for Harry [Kane] as a quite orthodox striker role.” Gaining the final 42 international appearances in 2018, it's quite plausible that Welbeck might be selected for the World Cup if he manages to continue his scoring exploits. The former Manchester United and Arsenal forward has more goals compared to any English player in the top flight this term with six and is anxious to increase that count as Brighton host Brentford this weekend.
Brighton vs Brentford, Saturday three o'clock
4. Sessegnon crucial as playmaker and finisher
The Ryan Sessegnon tale has brought some comfort to Fulham's uneven opening. The 25-year-old, who returned to his former side last year following five challenging years in north London, is now a consistent pick, driving down the left in the absence of the unavailable Antonee Robinson. The issue? On two goals, he is their top goalscorer in the league alongside Harry Wilson. Raúl Jiménez, their top scorer in the last term, has bagged one goal while Rodrigo Muniz is unavailable until 2026 because of a hamstring operation. Sessegnon is also being required to contribute in a creative role instead of Robinson, who registered ten setups last season. Fulham's upcoming four fixtures include three among the best five plus Crystal Palace, who have allowed merely nine goals in the league to date. Danger looms for the club that have earned a name for solidity in the central positions.
Fulham against Sunderland, Saturday afternoon three o'clock
The occasion for The striker to perform for the Reds
The debate surrounding Virgil van Dijk's disallowed goal versus Manchester City failed to mask Liverpool's shortcomings during the match as they fell to their seventh loss in 10 games. The manager's squad need a consistent improvement to enter the title race from here, as well as a dramatic upturn in results, and opportunity presents itself with seven from their upcoming ten league games versus sides currently in the lower half in the league. The risk is clear posed by Nottingham Forest, the single club to deliver a loss at Anfield to the title holders the previous campaign, but it is not only Liverpool's showing against long balls and counterattacks that is under scrutiny. Now is the occasion for Alexander Isak to deliver in a Liverpool shirt. The £125m striker has not played in domestic action for a month following a groin injury when making his second appearance in the lineup over a short period in the Champions League win abroad. The striker came back off the bench in the Swedish reverse against Switzerland but was rested the midweek inconsequential game with Slovenia to guarantee his availability for next year's World Cup qualifiers. A yellow card in that match could have made him ineligible. The striker could be short of|lacking|deficient
