Premier division: 10 things to look out for this round of fixtures
1. Garnacho and Walker set for a new encounter
A Manchester reunion may be on the cards when the Clarets' Kyle Walker faces Chelsea's Alejandro Garnacho in Lancashire. The attacker has started to settle with Chelsea after his off-season signing from Manchester United and demonstrated his talents against Wolves before the national team interval. His key pass for Pedro Neto blended rapid acceleration and a perfect along-the-deck delivery. His build-up for Malo Gusto entailed moving onto his right before lofting a cross toward the far post. His celebration with Neto, echoing his earlier embrace with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, served as a testament of the speed at which circumstances change. The most recent instance Garnacho faced Walker? During the youngster scored for United in the FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
Burnley against Chelsea, Saturday 12:30 PM (start times GMT)
Antoine Semenyo vital to halting Cherries' slide
Antoine Semenyo is receiving the complete rumour-mill attention due to a claimed £65m escape clause for a possible mid-season move, the media positioning him for advancement out of the Premier League's mid-table ranks. It is predictable for a winger who has a half-dozen strikes plus three assists and remains joyous to watch. Still, his side are in an difficult situation, experiencing a form flip: now it's the relegation battlers West Ham who enter on consecutive triumphs, while Bournemouth are down seven-one on aggregate over their previous two fixtures after an promising opening to the season. Semenyo saw his attempt stopped on the penalty by Emi Martínez in the four-nil loss by Aston Villa yet taking on a defensive unit without a shutout for months might be the best solution.
Bournemouth vs West Ham, Saturday three o'clock
The striker a left-field choice for the Three Lions
It proved notable to hear Thomas Tuchel reference Danny Welbeck multiple times during the fixture pause even though the Brighton forward turns 35 in the coming days. “Even without being familiar with him, I know what he can provide,” commented the England boss. “He might act as a reserve for Harry [Kane] as a very traditional centre-forward position.” Earning the last of his 42 international appearances in 2018, it's entirely possible that Welbeck could be on the plane for the World Cup provided he can sustain his goalscoring exploits. The ex- Manchester United and Arsenal forward boasts additional strikes compared to any English performer in the Premier League this term with six and remains anxious to increase that total when Brighton entertain Brentford this weekend.
Brighton versus Brentford, Saturday three o'clock
The full-back crucial as creator and goalscorer
The narrative around Ryan Sessegnon has provided some comfort to Fulham's uneven start. The left-sided player, who came back to his youth team last year after five difficult years with Spurs, is now a first-team fixture, driving down the left flank in the absence of the injured Antonee Robinson. The concern? Having scored twice, he is their leading marksman in the Premier League as well as Harry Wilson. Raúl Jiménez, their primary attacker the previous campaign, has netted a single goal while Rodrigo Muniz is unavailable for an extended period because of hamstring surgery. Additionally, Sessegnon having to step up in a creative role in place of Robinson, who supplied ten setups last season. The Cottagers' following four games feature three from the leading five and Crystal Palace, who have conceded only nine strikes this season this season. A threat emerges for a side that have earned a name for mid-table stability.
Fulham vs Sunderland, Saturday afternoon 3:00 PM
The moment for Alexander Isak to produce for Liverpool
The dispute surrounding Virgil van Dijk's disallowed goal in the match with Manchester City failed to mask Liverpool's inferiority in that game as they succumbed to their seventh loss in ten matches. The coach's side require a prolonged upturn to muscle into the league contest from their current spot, along with a significant upturn in results, and opportunity arises as seven out of their following ten league games facing teams currently in the bottom half in the league. The risk is clear posed by Nottingham Forest, the only team to deliver a loss at Anfield to Liverpool last season, however it's not just Liverpool's display against aerial passes and counterattacks that remains in focus. 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 injury while his second consecutive start in four days in the Champions League victory in Germany. The striker came back from the bench in Sweden's reverse by Switzerland but missed Tuesday's meaningless match versus Slovenia to secure his availability for the World Cup knockout rounds. A caution on Tuesday might have made him ineligible. He might be short of|lacking|deficient
