English top flight: 10 things to look out for this weekend
1. Garnacho and Walker poised for a new clash
Another northwest showdown may be in the offing as Burnley's Kyle Walker lines up against the Blues' Alejandro Garnacho at Turf Moor. The attacker is finding his feet in west London after his summer move from Old Trafford and displayed his skills versus Wolverhampton prior to the fixture pause. His key pass for Pedro Neto blended electric speed with a perfect grounded ball. His creation for Malo Gusto required shifting infield prior to dinking a delivery to the back post. His joyous moment with Neto, replicating his previous celebration with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, was a reminder of the speed at which circumstances change. The previous occasion Garnacho encountered Walker? When the Argentine netted for United in the FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
Burnley versus Chelsea, Saturday afternoon 12:30 PM (kick-offs GMT)
The winger key to stopping Cherries' slide
Antoine Semenyo is receiving the entire gossip column attention following a claimed £65m escape clause for his prospective mid-season move, the tabloids setting him up for graduation from the Premier League's middle class. This is understandable for a attacker with a half-dozen strikes and three helpers who is pleasurable to watch. Still, his team find themselves in an awkward situation, having undergone a body swap: it is the relegation battlers West Ham who arrive on back-to-back victories, whereas Bournemouth have been beaten seven to one combined over their previous two games after an promising start to the campaign. Semenyo had his effort saved from the penalty spot by Emi Martínez in the heavy loss to Aston Villa however taking on a defensive unit without a shutout in the league since the start of the season might be the ideal tonic.
Bournemouth against West Ham, Saturday three o'clock
3. Welbeck a surprise option for the national team
It proved intriguing to listen to Thomas Tuchel mention Danny Welbeck multiple times during the national team window although the Brighton attacker reaches 35 in the coming days. “Despite not being familiar with him, I understand what he is able to provide,” said the England boss. “He can be a reserve for Harry [Kane] in a very traditional No 9 role.” Gaining the most recent of his 42 caps back in 2018, it's entirely possible that Welbeck could be selected to the World Cup if he can sustain his goalscoring exploits. The former Manchester United and Arsenal forward can claim more goals compared to any English performer in the Premier League this season on six and remains anxious to add to that tally as Brighton host Brentford on Saturday.
Brighton against Brentford, Saturday afternoon three o'clock
4. Sessegnon crucial as creator and finisher
The Ryan Sessegnon tale has provided some comfort to Fulham's inconsistent opening. The former Tottenham man, who rejoined his former side last year after five tough years with Spurs, is now a first-team fixture, operating on the left side due to the injury of the unavailable Antonee Robinson. The worry? With two goals, he remains their leading marksman in the league together with Harry Wilson. The Mexican striker, their leading man in the last term, has netted a single goal whereas Rodrigo Muniz is unavailable for the long term due to hamstring surgery. Additionally, Sessegnon needing to deliver as an assist provider replacing Robinson, who registered ten setups last season. The Cottagers' upcoming four games include three from the leading five and Crystal Palace, who have conceded just nine scores in the Premier League this season. A threat emerges for the club that have earned a standing for solidity in the central positions.
Fulham versus Sunderland, Saturday afternoon 3pm
5. Time for Isak to perform for the Reds
The dispute surrounding Virgil van Dijk's chalked-off effort against Manchester City did not camouflage Liverpool's shortcomings during the match as they succumbed to loss number seven in ten matches. The manager's side must have a sustained recovery to force their way into the championship chase from here, along with a major improvement in form, and a chance arises with seven of their following ten league games against teams currently in the bottom ten of the table. The risk is clear posed by Nottingham Forest, the single club to hand a defeat on their own turf to Liverpool in the last term, yet it isn't solely Liverpool's performance against aerial passes and quick transitions that remains in focus. Now is the occasion for Alexander Isak to deliver wearing red. The £125m striker has not featured for his club in a month having sustained a groin problem while his second appearance in the lineup over a short period in Europe victory at Eintracht Frankfurt. He reappeared off the bench in Sweden's defeat against Switzerland but missed the midweek meaningless match versus Slovenia to secure his availability for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers. A yellow card during the game would have made him ineligible. The striker could be short of|lacking|deficient
