Premier division: ten highlights to keep an eye on this matchday
Garnacho versus Walker ready for a fresh clash
Another northwest showdown may be in the offing as the Clarets' Kyle Walker confronts the Blues' Alejandro Garnacho in Lancashire. The wide man is finding his feet at Stamford Bridge following his summer move from Manchester United and demonstrated his skills against Wolves before the fixture pause. His assist for Pedro Neto blended electric speed with a flawless grounded ball. His build-up for Malo Gusto involved shifting infield prior to dinking a cross to the back post. His celebration with Neto, echoing his prior embrace with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, was a reminder of the pace with which circumstances change. The last time Garnacho faced Walker? When the Argentine scored for United in the FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
Burnley versus Chelsea, Saturday half past twelve (all times GMT)
Antoine Semenyo key to halting Cherries' slump
Antoine Semenyo is receiving the complete gossip column attention amid a claimed £65m release clause for a possible winter exit, the tabloids preparing him for graduation from the Premier League's average tier. It is to be expected for a winger with a half-dozen strikes and three helpers and remains pleasurable to watch. Still, his team are in an awkward position, having engaged in a form flip: it is the struggling side West Ham who come in on back-to-back victories, whereas Bournemouth have been beaten 7-1 over two games in their previous two games following an impressive start to the season. Semenyo was denied on the penalty by Emi Martínez during the 4-0 defeat by Aston Villa but taking on a defensive unit lacking a shutout for months may prove the ideal tonic.
Bournemouth versus West Ham, Saturday three o'clock
Danny Welbeck a surprise option for the national team
It seemed notable to listen to Thomas Tuchel reference Danny Welbeck multiple times throughout the national team window despite the fact that the Brighton striker reaches 35 next week. “Despite not having met him, I know what he is able to give me,” commented the England manager. “He might act as a back-up for Harry [Kane] in a quite conventional centre-forward role.” Gaining the most recent of his 42 international appearances back in 2018, it's quite plausible that Welbeck could be selected for the World Cup assuming he can continue his goalscoring exploits. Once of Manchester United and Arsenal striker can claim additional strikes than any other English footballer in the Premier League this campaign having six and is anxious to increase that count as Brighton welcome Brentford on Saturday.
Brighton versus Brentford, Saturday afternoon 3pm
4. Sessegnon required as creator and goalscorer
The narrative around Ryan Sessegnon has offered a measure of positivity to Fulham's uneven opening. The 25-year-old, who came back to his boyhood club last year after five tough years with Spurs, is now a consistent pick, driving down the left flank due to the injury of the sidelined Antonee Robinson. The issue? On two goals, he's also their joint-top scorer this season as well as Harry Wilson. Their main striker, their top scorer in the last term, has bagged a single goal whereas Rodrigo Muniz is unavailable for an extended period due to a surgical procedure. Sessegnon must also being required to contribute in a creative role replacing Robinson, who registered ten helpers in the previous campaign. The Cottagers' following four matches feature three from the leading five as well as Crystal Palace, who have allowed only nine scores in the league so far. Danger looms for the club that have developed a reputation for mid-table stability.
Fulham against Sunderland, Saturday afternoon three o'clock
5. Time for Isak to perform for the Merseyside club
The dispute surrounding Virgil van Dijk's ruled-out strike against Manchester City did not camouflage Liverpool's inferiority on the day as they succumbed to loss number seven in 10 games. The manager's team require a prolonged upturn to enter the championship chase from this position, plus a significant upturn in results, and opportunity arises as seven from their upcoming ten top-flight fixtures versus teams presently in the bottom half of the table. The danger is evident posed by Nottingham Forest, the sole side to hand a defeat on their own turf on the champions in the last term, however it's not just Liverpool's performance versus aerial passes and fast breaks that remains under scrutiny. It is time that Alexander Isak to show up wearing red. The expensive signing has not played in domestic action for a month having sustained a muscle issue while his second start in quick succession in continental competition victory at Eintracht Frankfurt. The striker came back from the bench in Sweden's reverse against Switzerland but sat out the subsequent meaningless match with Slovenia to guarantee his readiness for the upcoming World Cup knockout rounds. A booking in that match could have made him ineligible. The striker could be short of|lacking|deficient
