English top flight: ten highlights to watch for this weekend
Walker faces Garnacho ready for another encounter
Another northwest showdown could be in store when Burnley's Kyle Walker faces the Blues' Alejandro Garnacho in Lancashire. The winger is finding his feet in west London following his close-season transfer from Manchester United and demonstrated his skills in the Wolves match prior to the international break. His setup for Pedro Neto mixed rapid acceleration with a flawless grounded ball. His build-up for Malo Gusto required moving onto his right prior to dinking a ball to the back post. His celebration with Neto, echoing his prior celebration with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, acted as a reminder of the pace with which things transform. The previous occasion Garnacho faced Walker? Back when the Argentine found the net for United in their Wembley triumph over Manchester City.
Burnley against Chelsea, Saturday 12.30pm (all times GMT)
The winger key to ending Cherries' decline
Antoine Semenyo is receiving the complete transfer speculation focus amid a reported £65m buyout clause for his potential winter exit, the gossip columns positioning him for promotion out of the Premier League's mid-table ranks. That is understandable from a wide player with six goals and three helpers and remains delightful to watch. Nonetheless, his team occupy an awkward spot, having engaged in a form flip: now it's the struggling side West Ham who arrive with successive wins, while Bournemouth are down seven-one over two games in their previous two fixtures following an promising opening to the campaign. Semenyo saw his attempt stopped on the penalty by Emi Martínez in their four-nil loss by Aston Villa but confronting a defence lacking a shutout in the league since the start of the season may prove the ideal solution.
Bournemouth versus West Ham, Saturday 3pm
The striker a left-field option for the Three Lions
It was intriguing to hear Thomas Tuchel name-drop Danny Welbeck multiple times during the international break even though the Brighton forward turns 35 soon. “Without even knowing him, I know what he can provide,” said the England coach. “He could serve as a reserve for Harry [Kane] as a very conventional striker position.” Having won the last of his 42 international appearances several years ago, it's entirely possible that Welbeck might be in the squad for the World Cup if he manages to continue his goal-getting exploits. The ex- Manchester United and Arsenal forward has additional strikes than any other English footballer in the top flight this season with six and remains anxious to add to that total when Brighton host Brentford this weekend.
Brighton against Brentford, Saturday 3:00 PM
The full-back crucial as assist provider and scorer
The narrative around Ryan Sessegnon has brought a measure of warmth to Fulham's bumpy beginning. The former Tottenham man, who rejoined his former side recently after five difficult years in north London, is now a regular starter, driving down the left flank with the sidelined Antonee Robinson. The issue? On two goals, he's also their leading marksman in the Premier League together with Harry Wilson. The Mexican striker, their leading man in the last term, has scored once while Rodrigo Muniz is out until 2026 owing to a surgical procedure. Sessegnon is also needing to deliver as a creator instead of Robinson, who supplied ten helpers in the previous campaign. The Cottagers' next four games take in three of the best five and Crystal Palace, who have allowed merely nine strikes this season so far. Danger looms for a side that have earned a reputation for consistency in the middle.
Fulham against Sunderland, Saturday afternoon 3:00 PM
The moment for The striker to deliver for Liverpool
The debate regarding Virgil van Dijk's disallowed goal versus Manchester City did not camouflage Liverpool's shortcomings in that game as they succumbed to loss number seven in ten matches. The manager's side require a sustained recovery to force their way into the title race from their current spot, as well as a major upturn in results, and a chance presents itself as seven out of their upcoming ten top-flight fixtures versus sides at the moment in the lower half in the league. The risk is clear posed by Nottingham Forest, the sole side to hand a loss at Anfield to Liverpool the previous campaign, but it is not only Liverpool's display versus long balls and quick transitions that remains under the spotlight. The moment has come that Alexander Isak to deliver in a Liverpool shirt. The big-money forward has been absent in domestic action over four weeks following a groin problem when making his second start in four days in continental competition victory in Germany. He reappeared off the bench in the Swedish reverse by Switzerland but missed the subsequent dead rubber with Slovenia to secure his fitness for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers. A yellow card in that match would have ruled him out. The striker could be short of|lacking|deficient
