Premier division: ten key points to watch for this weekend
Garnacho versus Walker ready for a fresh encounter
Another northwest showdown could be on the cards as Burnley's Kyle Walker faces Chelsea's Alejandro Garnacho on Burnley's turf. The winger has started to settle in west London following his off-season signing from Old Trafford and showcased his talents versus Wolverhampton before the fixture pause. His key pass for Pedro Neto blended electric speed with a perfect low cross. His creation for Malo Gusto entailed shifting infield prior to chipping a cross across the goalmouth. His goal reaction with Neto, mirroring his earlier hug with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, acted as a testament of how quickly things transform. The previous occasion Garnacho faced Walker? Back when the Argentine netted for United in the cup final win over Manchester City.
Burnley versus Chelsea, Saturday afternoon 12:30 PM (all times GMT)
The winger key to stopping Cherries' slump
Antoine Semenyo is receiving the complete rumour-mill attention amid a claimed £65m buyout clause for his potential winter exit, the tabloids positioning him for graduation from the Premier League's average tier. It is understandable for a wide player with six goals and three helpers who is joyous to watch. Nonetheless, his side occupy an tricky spot, experiencing a body swap: now it's the relegation battlers West Ham who enter with successive wins, while Bournemouth have lost 7-1 combined over their last two matches after an impressive opening to the season. Semenyo had his effort saved on the penalty by Emi Martínez in their heavy loss by Aston Villa but taking on a backline that hasn't kept a shutout for months might be the ideal solution.
Bournemouth vs West Ham, Saturday afternoon three o'clock
3. Welbeck a left-field choice for the Three Lions
It was intriguing to hear Thomas Tuchel name-drop Danny Welbeck on more than one occasion throughout the fixture pause even though the Brighton attacker celebrates 35 soon. “Even without having met him, I know what he could give me,” stated the England manager. “He can be a stand-in for Harry [Kane] as a very traditional centre-forward role.” Gaining the most recent of his 42 international appearances in 2018, it's quite plausible that Welbeck may be selected for the World Cup if he is able to sustain his goalscoring exploits. The former Manchester United and Arsenal striker boasts additional strikes than any other English footballer in England's top division this term with six and will be keen to boost that total when Brighton entertain Brentford this weekend.
Brighton against Brentford, Saturday afternoon three o'clock
4. Sessegnon required as creator and finisher
The Ryan Sessegnon tale has brought some comfort to Fulham's inconsistent beginning. The former Tottenham man, who rejoined his former side recently after five difficult years at Tottenham, has emerged as a consistent pick, operating on the left side in the absence of the sidelined Antonee Robinson. The concern? Having scored twice, he is their top goalscorer in the Premier League alongside Harry Wilson. Raúl Jiménez, their primary attacker in the last term, has bagged a single goal while Rodrigo Muniz is unavailable for an extended period due to a hamstring operation. Sessegnon must also having to step up as a creator replacing Robinson, who supplied ten helpers last season. Fulham's following four games take in three from the top five as well as Crystal Palace, who have let in only nine strikes this season to date. Danger looms for the club that have built a reputation for mid-table stability.
Fulham against Sunderland, Saturday 3pm
The occasion for Isak to deliver for the Reds
The dispute regarding Virgil van Dijk's chalked-off effort in the match with Manchester City failed to mask Liverpool's deficiencies in that game as they succumbed to loss number seven in 10 games. Arne Slot's side require a sustained recovery to muscle into the league contest from this position, plus a dramatic boost in performance, and a chance arises with seven of their next 10 Premier League matches facing clubs at the moment in the bottom half in the league. The risk is obvious from Nottingham Forest, the only team to inflict a loss at Anfield on the champions in the last term, yet it isn't solely Liverpool's performance against aerial passes and quick transitions that remains under scrutiny. It is time for Alexander Isak to deliver for Liverpool. The £125m striker has not featured at club level in a month after picking up a groin injury when making his second appearance in the lineup over a short period in continental competition win abroad. The striker came back from the bench during Sweden's loss by Switzerland but sat out the subsequent dead rubber versus Slovenia to guarantee his fitness for the World Cup qualifiers. A caution in that match could have suspended him. The striker could be short of|lacking|deficient
