Premier League: 10 things to keep an eye on this round of fixtures
Garnacho versus Walker ready for a fresh battle
A Mancunian rematch may be on the cards as the Clarets' Kyle Walker faces Chelsea's Alejandro Garnacho on Burnley's turf. The winger has started to settle at Stamford Bridge following his close-season transfer from the Red Devils and displayed his talents versus Wolverhampton prior to the fixture pause. His key pass for Pedro Neto combined rapid acceleration with a flawless along-the-deck delivery. His creation for Malo Gusto required moving onto his right prior to chipping a ball toward the far post. His joyous moment with Neto, replicating his earlier hug with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, acted as a reminder of how quickly circumstances change. The previous occasion Garnacho faced Walker? When the Argentine netted for United in the Wembley triumph against Manchester City.
Burnley vs Chelsea, Saturday afternoon 12:30 PM (start times GMT)
2. Semenyo crucial to ending Cherries' slump
Antoine Semenyo is attracting the full gossip column attention following a reported £65m buyout clause for a prospective mid-season move, the tabloids setting him up for advancement from the Premier League's mid-table ranks. That is understandable for a winger with six goals and three helpers and remains joyous to watch. However, his side occupy an difficult position, having engaged in a body swap: now it's the struggling side West Ham who arrive with successive wins, whereas Bournemouth have lost seven-one combined in their last two games after an promising start to the season. Semenyo saw his attempt stopped from the spot by Emi Martínez in their 4-0 defeat to Aston Villa however facing a defensive unit without a clean sheet in the league since the start of the season could be the ideal remedy.
Bournemouth versus West Ham, Saturday 3pm
Danny Welbeck a surprise choice for the Three Lions
It proved notable to hear Thomas Tuchel name-drop Danny Welbeck repeatedly during the fixture pause although the Brighton striker celebrates 35 next week. “Even without knowing him, I understand what he could offer me,” stated the England manager. “He can be a reserve for Harry [Kane] playing a quite orthodox No 9 position.” Gaining the final 42 England games back in 2018, it's quite plausible that Welbeck could be selected to the World Cup assuming he is able to sustain his scoring exploits. The ex- Manchester United and Arsenal attacker has additional strikes than any other English player in England's top division this campaign on six and remains eager to boost that tally as Brighton host Brentford this weekend.
Brighton versus Brentford, Saturday afternoon 3pm
Ryan Sessegnon needed as creator and goalscorer
The Ryan Sessegnon tale has brought a measure of comfort to Fulham's inconsistent start. The former Tottenham man, who came back to his former side recently after five difficult years at Tottenham, has become a consistent pick, pushing forward on the left side due to the injury of the unavailable Antonee Robinson. The concern? Having scored twice, he is their top goalscorer in the Premier League as well as Harry Wilson. The Mexican striker, their top scorer last season, has netted once whereas Rodrigo Muniz is out until 2026 due to hamstring surgery. Sessegnon is also having to step up in a creative role replacing Robinson, who supplied ten setups last season. Fulham's following four matches take in three of the top five and Crystal Palace, who have let in only nine goals in the Premier League so far. A threat emerges for a team that have earned a standing for mid-table stability.
Fulham vs Sunderland, Saturday 3:00 PM
The moment for Isak to deliver for the Reds
The dispute regarding Virgil van Dijk's chalked-off effort versus Manchester City did not camouflage Liverpool's deficiencies on the day as they fell to loss number seven in ten matches. The manager's side need a consistent improvement to force their way into the title race from this position, along with a dramatic boost in performance, and opportunity emerges as seven out of their upcoming ten league games facing clubs presently in the lower half in the league. The threat is obvious posed by Nottingham Forest, the sole side to deliver a defeat on their own turf to the title holders in the last term, however it's not just Liverpool's showing versus direct play and fast breaks that is under the spotlight. The moment has come for Alexander Isak to show up in a Liverpool shirt. The £125m striker has not featured for his club over four weeks after picking up a muscle issue during his second appearance in the lineup in quick succession in the Champions League triumph at Eintracht Frankfurt. The striker came back from the bench in Sweden's loss by Switzerland but missed the midweek dead rubber against Slovenia to secure his readiness for next year's World Cup knockout rounds. A booking on Tuesday might have suspended him. Isak may be short of|lacking|deficient