English top flight: ten highlights to watch for this weekend
Garnacho versus Walker set for a new encounter
A Manchester reunion might be on the cards when the Clarets' Kyle Walker faces the Blues' Alejandro Garnacho on Burnley's turf. The wide man is finding his feet in west London following his summer move from the Red Devils and demonstrated his skills versus Wolverhampton prior to the fixture pause. His key pass for Pedro Neto blended blistering pace with a flawless low cross. His creation for Malo Gusto entailed moving onto his right prior to chipping a delivery across the goalmouth. His joyous moment with Neto, replicating his previous hug with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, served as a testament of how quickly circumstances change. The previous occasion Garnacho encountered Walker? When the youngster scored for United in the cup final win over Manchester City.
Burnley against Chelsea, Saturday afternoon 12:30 PM (all times GMT)
Antoine Semenyo key to ending Cherries' slide
Antoine Semenyo is getting the entire rumour-mill treatment amid a reported £65m escape clause for a potential mid-season move, the tabloids setting him up for advancement from the Premier League's average tier. It is to be expected for a winger with six goals and three setups and remains delightful to watch. However, his side occupy an awkward situation, having engaged in a form flip: it is the struggling side West Ham who come in with consecutive triumphs, while Bournemouth are down 7-1 on aggregate over their previous two fixtures after an impressive beginning to the campaign. Semenyo had his effort saved on the penalty by Emi Martínez during the four-nil loss to Aston Villa however facing a defensive unit lacking a shutout for months may prove the best remedy.
Bournemouth against West Ham, Saturday 3:00 PM
The striker a left-field shout for the national team
It proved notable to listen to Thomas Tuchel reference Danny Welbeck on more than one occasion during the international break even though the Brighton striker reaches 35 soon. “Despite not having met him, I know what he can offer me,” stated the England manager. “He could serve as a reserve for Harry [Kane] as a quite traditional striker role.” Gaining the most recent of his 42 caps several years ago, it's entirely possible that Welbeck could be in the squad for the World Cup provided he can maintain his goal-getting performances. Once of Manchester United and Arsenal striker has a greater tally than any other English footballer in the top flight this season on six and remains keen to boost that tally as Brighton host Brentford in Saturday's match.
Brighton versus Brentford, Saturday afternoon 3pm
Ryan Sessegnon required as playmaker and finisher
The narrative around Ryan Sessegnon has brought a measure of warmth to Fulham's uneven start. The 25-year-old, who rejoined his boyhood club last year after five tough years at Tottenham, has emerged as a first-team fixture, operating on the left flank in the absence of the unavailable Antonee Robinson. The issue? On two goals, he is their joint-top scorer in the Premier League as well as Harry Wilson. Raúl Jiménez, their leading man last season, has bagged once whereas Rodrigo Muniz is injured for an extended period owing to hamstring surgery. Sessegnon must also having to step up in a creative role replacing Robinson, who provided ten setups last season. Fulham's upcoming four matches include three among the leading five plus Crystal Palace, who have allowed only nine strikes in the Premier League this season. Danger looms for a team that have developed a name for mid-table stability.
Fulham against Sunderland, Saturday afternoon 3pm
5. Time for Alexander Isak to produce for the Reds
The controversy surrounding Virgil van Dijk's disallowed goal against Manchester City failed to mask Liverpool's deficiencies on the day as they lost to their seventh loss in ten matches. The coach's squad require a sustained recovery to muscle into the title race from their current spot, plus a dramatic boost in performance, and a chance emerges as seven of their following ten league games versus teams currently in the bottom ten in the standings. The risk is evident posed by Nottingham Forest, the sole side to deliver a loss at Anfield on the champions last season, however it's not just Liverpool's performance against direct play and counterattacks that is under scrutiny. Now is the occasion that Alexander Isak to perform in a Liverpool shirt. The £125m striker has not featured at club level in a month following a muscle issue while his second appearance in the lineup over a short period in continental competition victory at Eintracht Frankfurt. He reappeared as a substitute during Sweden's reverse to Switzerland but sat out Tuesday's inconsequential game versus Slovenia to ensure his readiness for the World Cup playoffs. A booking in that match would have made him ineligible. The striker could be short of|lacking|deficient
