English top flight: ten key points to watch for this weekend
1. Garnacho and Walker poised for a new encounter
Another northwest showdown could be on the cards when the Clarets' Kyle Walker confronts Chelsea's Alejandro Garnacho on Burnley's turf. The winger is finding his feet in west London following his off-season signing from Manchester United and demonstrated his skills in the Wolves match before the fixture pause. His setup for Pedro Neto combined rapid acceleration and a flawless along-the-deck delivery. His contribution for Malo Gusto required shifting infield prior to lofting a ball toward the far post. His joyous moment with Neto, replicating his prior celebration with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, acted as a reminder of the speed at which circumstances change. The last time Garnacho took on Walker? When the former scored for United in the Wembley triumph against Manchester City.
Burnley vs Chelsea, Saturday 12:30 PM (all times GMT)
2. Semenyo crucial to ending Bournemouth's slump
Antoine Semenyo is receiving the entire transfer speculation attention amid a alleged £65m escape clause for his prospective mid-season move, the tabloids setting him up for graduation from the Premier League's middle class. That is predictable for a wide player who has a half-dozen strikes plus three assists and is pleasurable to watch. Still, his team find themselves in an difficult position, experiencing a role reversal: now it's the struggling side West Ham who arrive on back-to-back victories, while Bournemouth are down seven to one combined in their past two games following an promising beginning to the campaign. Semenyo was denied from the spot by Emi Martínez during the heavy loss by Aston Villa yet confronting a backline that hasn't kept a clean sheet in the league since the start of the season might be the perfect remedy.
Bournemouth against West Ham, Saturday afternoon three o'clock
Danny Welbeck an outside option for the Three Lions
It proved notable to hear Thomas Tuchel mention Danny Welbeck on more than one occasion during the national team window although the Brighton striker turns 35 soon. “Even without knowing him, I know what he can give me,” said the England coach. “He can be a stand-in for Harry [Kane] in a very traditional centre-forward position.” Gaining the final 42 caps back in 2018, it's entirely possible that Welbeck may be on the plane to the World Cup if he manages to maintain his scoring exploits. The ex- Manchester United and Arsenal forward has additional strikes compared to any English footballer in the top flight this season on six and is anxious to boost that count as Brighton welcome Brentford this weekend.
Brighton versus Brentford, Saturday 3:00 PM
4. Sessegnon required as creator and scorer
The narrative around Ryan Sessegnon has offered a measure of warmth to Fulham's uneven beginning. The left-sided player, who returned to his former side recently following five tough years at Tottenham, has become a first-team fixture, driving down the left in the absence of the unavailable Antonee Robinson. The concern? Having scored twice, he's also their top goalscorer in the Premier League together with Harry Wilson. Raúl Jiménez, their primary attacker last season, has bagged once while Rodrigo Muniz is unavailable for an extended period because of hamstring surgery. Additionally, Sessegnon being required to contribute as a creator instead of Robinson, who registered ten setups in the previous campaign. The Cottagers' upcoming four games take in three from the best five plus Crystal Palace, who have let in only nine goals this season so far. A threat emerges for a team that have earned a standing for solidity in the central positions.
Fulham vs Sunderland, Saturday 3pm
5. Time for Isak to deliver for the Reds
The controversy surrounding Virgil van Dijk's ruled-out strike against Manchester City did not camouflage Liverpool's inferiority in that game as they succumbed to loss number seven in ten matches. Arne Slot's team must have a sustained recovery to enter the title race from here, as well as a dramatic boost in performance, and a chance presents itself as seven out of their following ten league games against sides currently in the lower half of the table. The threat is obvious from Nottingham Forest, the sole side to inflict a defeat on their own turf to Liverpool the previous campaign, yet it isn't solely Liverpool's performance against long balls and counterattacks that is under the spotlight. The moment has come for Alexander Isak to deliver in a Liverpool shirt. The big-money forward has been absent at club level over four weeks having sustained a groin problem while his second consecutive start in four days in the Champions League win at Eintracht Frankfurt. He reappeared from the bench in the Swedish reverse by Switzerland but sat out the subsequent inconsequential game versus Slovenia to secure his fitness for next year's World Cup qualifiers. A caution on Tuesday might have suspended him. The striker could be short of|lacking|deficient