Premier division: ten key points to keep an eye on this matchday
Garnacho versus Walker poised for a fresh clash
A Manchester reunion may be in the offing as the Clarets' Kyle Walker lines up against the Blues' Alejandro Garnacho at Turf Moor. The winger is finding his feet in west London after his off-season signing from Old Trafford and showcased his skills in the Wolves match prior to the international break. His key pass for Pedro Neto mixed rapid acceleration with a ideal along-the-deck delivery. His build-up for Malo Gusto involved cutting inside prior to lofting a ball to the back post. His joyous moment with Neto, mirroring his earlier embrace with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, was a testament of how quickly situations evolve. The previous occasion Garnacho took on Walker? During the Argentine scored for United in their FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
Burnley versus Chelsea, Saturday 12.30pm (start times GMT)
The winger crucial to stopping Bournemouth's decline
Antoine Semenyo is attracting the entire transfer speculation focus following a reported £65m release clause for his possible January departure, the media positioning him for graduation from the Premier League's mid-table ranks. That is to be expected for a attacker who has a half-dozen strikes plus three setups and is pleasurable to watch. However, Bournemouth find themselves in an tricky situation, having engaged in a form flip: it is the bottom-half team West Ham who arrive on back-to-back victories, while Bournemouth have been beaten 7-1 on aggregate in their last two games after an strong beginning to the season. Semenyo saw his attempt stopped from the spot by Emi Martínez during the heavy loss to Aston Villa however taking on a defence lacking a goalless game for months may prove the perfect solution.
Bournemouth versus West Ham, Saturday afternoon three o'clock
The striker a left-field choice for the Three Lions
It was interesting to listen to Thomas Tuchel reference Danny Welbeck repeatedly during the international break even though the Brighton attacker reaches 35 in the coming days. “Without even having met him, I know what he can provide,” said the England manager. “He can be a back-up for Harry [Kane] as a quite orthodox No 9 position.” Having won the last of his 42 international appearances several years ago, there is every chance that Welbeck might be in the squad for the World Cup provided he is able to continue his goalscoring feats. The former Manchester United and Arsenal forward can claim a greater tally compared to any English player in the Premier League this campaign with six and will be keen to boost that total when Brighton welcome Brentford in Saturday's match.
Brighton against Brentford, Saturday afternoon 3pm
The full-back crucial as playmaker and goalscorer
The Ryan Sessegnon tale has brought a degree of warmth to Fulham's uneven opening. The former Tottenham man, who rejoined his boyhood club last year after five difficult years with Spurs, has become a consistent pick, driving down the left in the absence of the sidelined Antonee Robinson. The issue? With two goals, he remains their top goalscorer this season together with Harry Wilson. Their main striker, their leading man last season, has scored one goal whereas Rodrigo Muniz is injured until 2026 due to a hamstring operation. Sessegnon is also being required to contribute as an assist provider instead of Robinson, who supplied ten setups in the previous campaign. Fulham's next four fixtures feature three from the leading five as well as Crystal Palace, who have conceded merely nine scores in the Premier League this season. Trouble awaits for a side that have built a reputation for solidity in the central positions.
Fulham against Sunderland, Saturday 3pm
The occasion for Isak to produce for the Reds
The controversy surrounding Virgil van Dijk's disallowed goal versus Manchester City failed to mask Liverpool's shortcomings on the day as they fell to loss number seven over ten fixtures. The coach's squad need a prolonged upturn to force their way into the title race from their current spot, along with a dramatic upturn in results, and a chance arises as seven from their following ten top-flight fixtures against teams currently in the lower half in the league. The danger is clear posed by Nottingham Forest, the only team to hand a loss at Anfield to the title holders the previous campaign, but it is not only Liverpool's display versus long balls and fast breaks that will be in focus. The moment has come that Alexander Isak to perform wearing red. The expensive signing has not featured in domestic action over four weeks having sustained a groin problem during his second consecutive start over a short period in continental competition victory abroad. He reappeared as a substitute in the Swedish reverse by Switzerland but sat out Tuesday's inconsequential game against Slovenia to ensure his readiness for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers. A caution during the game might have suspended him. He might be short of|lacking|deficient