English top flight: 10 things to watch for this weekend
Walker faces Garnacho poised for a new encounter
A Manchester reunion may be in the offing as Burnley's Kyle Walker confronts the Blues' Alejandro Garnacho at Turf Moor. The attacker is finding his feet at Stamford Bridge following his close-season transfer from Manchester United and demonstrated his talents versus Wolverhampton before the national team interval. His setup for Pedro Neto combined rapid acceleration with a ideal along-the-deck delivery. His creation for Malo Gusto entailed shifting infield before lofting a ball across the goalmouth. His joyous moment with Neto, mirroring his earlier hug with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, acted as a testament of how quickly circumstances change. The previous occasion Garnacho encountered Walker? When the Argentine found the net for United in their FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
Burnley vs Chelsea, Saturday afternoon half past twelve (start times GMT)
2. Semenyo vital to halting Bournemouth's slide
Antoine Semenyo is attracting the complete transfer speculation attention amid a reported £65m release clause for his prospective mid-season move, the media positioning him for graduation out of the Premier League's mid-table ranks. That is to be expected from a wide player who has a half-dozen strikes plus three setups and is joyous to watch. Nonetheless, his side find themselves in an difficult situation, having engaged in a form flip: now it's the struggling side West Ham who arrive with back-to-back victories, whereas Bournemouth are down seven to one on aggregate over their past two fixtures after an strong opening to the season. Semenyo had his effort saved on the penalty by Emi Martínez in their 4-0 defeat by Aston Villa however confronting a defence without a clean sheet for months could be the perfect remedy.
Bournemouth versus West Ham, Saturday 3pm
3. Welbeck an outside choice for the Three Lions
It seemed notable to hear Thomas Tuchel mention Danny Welbeck on more than one occasion during the international break although the Brighton striker celebrates 35 next week. “Without even having met him, I am aware what he can give me,” stated the England manager. “He can be a stand-in for Harry [Kane] playing a very conventional No 9 position.” Having won the most recent of his 42 England games in 2018, it's quite plausible that Welbeck might be on the plane for the World Cup if he is able to sustain his scoring feats. The former Manchester United and Arsenal forward can claim a greater tally over every other English player in the top flight this season having six and is eager to add to that tally when Brighton entertain Brentford this weekend.
Brighton vs Brentford, Saturday afternoon 3pm
Ryan Sessegnon required as playmaker and finisher
The Ryan Sessegnon tale has brought a measure of positivity to Fulham's inconsistent opening. The left-sided player, who came back to his former side last year following five challenging years in north London, has become a consistent pick, pushing forward on the left due to the injury of the injured Antonee Robinson. The issue? Having scored twice, he remains their joint-top scorer in the Premier League together with Harry Wilson. The Mexican striker, their leading man the previous campaign, has bagged a single goal whereas Rodrigo Muniz is out for the long term due to a hamstring operation. Sessegnon must also being required to contribute in a creative role in place of Robinson, who supplied ten setups in the previous campaign. The Cottagers' upcoming four matches include three of the leading five plus Crystal Palace, who have let in just nine goals this season this season. Trouble awaits for the club that have developed a standing for mid-table stability.
Fulham against Sunderland, Saturday afternoon 3:00 PM
The occasion for Isak to perform for the Merseyside club
The debate regarding Virgil van Dijk's disallowed goal against Manchester City failed to mask Liverpool's deficiencies during the match as they fell to a seventh defeat in ten matches. Arne Slot's side require a prolonged upturn to force their way into the league contest from their current spot, as well as a major upturn in results, and opportunity emerges as seven of their following ten top-flight fixtures facing teams currently in the lower half of the table. The threat is evident posed by Nottingham Forest, the single club to inflict a defeat on their own turf on the champions in the last term, but it is not only Liverpool's display when facing direct play and quick transitions that will be under scrutiny. Now is the occasion for Alexander Isak to deliver for Liverpool. The £125m striker has been absent for his club in a month after picking up a muscle issue when making his second consecutive start in quick succession in Europe win in Germany. Isak returned as a substitute in the Swedish defeat by Switzerland but missed the midweek dead rubber with Slovenia to ensure his readiness for the upcoming World Cup knockout rounds. A yellow card during the game might have ruled him out. He might be short of|lacking|deficient
