English top flight: ten highlights to watch for this weekend
Walker faces Garnacho set for a fresh clash
A Manchester reunion might be on the cards as the Clarets' Kyle Walker faces Chelsea's Alejandro Garnacho on Burnley's turf. The wide man is adapting well with Chelsea after his summer move from the Red Devils and demonstrated his talents versus Wolverhampton before the fixture pause. His assist for Pedro Neto combined rapid acceleration with a flawless grounded ball. His creation for Malo Gusto entailed shifting infield before lofting a cross toward the far post. His joyous moment with Neto, replicating his previous celebration with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, served as a reminder of the pace with which things transform. The previous occasion Garnacho faced Walker? Back when the former found the net for United in their FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
Burnley versus Chelsea, Saturday afternoon 12.30pm (start times GMT)
The winger vital to halting Bournemouth's slump
Antoine Semenyo is getting the full gossip column focus following a reported £65m escape clause for his potential January departure, the gossip columns positioning him for advancement from the Premier League's average tier. That is predictable for a wide player who has a half-dozen strikes and three setups and remains pleasurable to watch. Still, his side find themselves in an difficult position, having undergone a role reversal: now it's the bottom-half team West Ham who arrive with successive wins, while Bournemouth have been beaten seven-one over two games in their past two matches after an promising beginning to the campaign. Semenyo had his effort saved from the spot by Emi Martínez during the four-nil loss to Aston Villa however taking on a defence without a goalless game in the league since the start of the season may prove the perfect tonic.
Bournemouth vs West Ham, Saturday three o'clock
The striker an outside option for the national team
It seemed intriguing to listen to Thomas Tuchel mention Danny Welbeck on more than one occasion during the international break although the Brighton forward celebrates 35 next week. “Despite not knowing him, I know what he could provide,” said the England manager. “He might act as a reserve for Harry [Kane] in a very conventional striker position.” Earning the last of his 42 England games several years ago, it's quite plausible that Welbeck could be in the squad for the World Cup assuming he is able to sustain his goalscoring exploits. The former Manchester United and Arsenal striker has additional strikes compared to any English player in England's top division this season with six and is keen to boost that tally as Brighton host Brentford on Saturday.
Brighton vs Brentford, Saturday afternoon three o'clock
4. Sessegnon required as creator and goalscorer
Sessegnon's story has brought a degree of comfort to Fulham's inconsistent opening. The 25-year-old, who returned to his youth team last year after five difficult years at Tottenham, has become a consistent pick, driving down the left flank in the absence of the injured Antonee Robinson. The concern? With two goals, he's also their leading marksman in the league together with Harry Wilson. Raúl Jiménez, their leading man last season, has scored a single goal while Rodrigo Muniz is injured for the long term due to hamstring surgery. Additionally, Sessegnon needing to deliver as a creator in place of Robinson, who provided 10 assists last time round. The Cottagers' following four matches include three of the top five plus Crystal Palace, who have conceded only nine strikes in the league so far. Danger looms for a team that have developed a reputation for consistency in the middle.
Fulham against Sunderland, Saturday 3:00 PM
The occasion for Alexander Isak to perform for Liverpool
The dispute regarding Virgil van Dijk's chalked-off effort in the match with Manchester City could not hide Liverpool's shortcomings on the day as they fell to a seventh defeat in ten matches. Arne Slot's team require a consistent improvement to force their way into the championship chase from their current spot, plus a dramatic improvement in form, and a chance arises as seven out of their next 10 Premier League matches facing sides currently in the lower half in the league. The risk is clear from Nottingham Forest, the only team to inflict a home league defeat to the title holders the previous campaign, however it's not just Liverpool's performance when facing direct play and quick transitions that remains under scrutiny. The moment has come that Alexander Isak to show up wearing red. The £125m striker has not played for his club over four weeks having sustained a muscle issue while his second start in four days in Europe victory in Germany. The striker came back as a substitute during Sweden's loss by Switzerland but was rested the subsequent meaningless match versus Slovenia to secure his availability for next year's World Cup knockout rounds. A yellow card during the game could have made him ineligible. The striker could be short of|lacking|deficient
