Premier League: 10 things to watch for this matchday
Walker faces Garnacho ready for another encounter
Another northwest showdown may be in the offing as Burnley's Kyle Walker faces the Blues' Alejandro Garnacho on Burnley's turf. The wide man is adapting well in west London following his off-season signing from Manchester United and showcased his skills against Wolves before the fixture pause. His assist for Pedro Neto mixed rapid acceleration with a perfect grounded ball. His build-up for Malo Gusto entailed cutting inside prior to dinking a delivery toward the far post. His joyous moment 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? During the youngster scored for United during their Wembley triumph over Manchester City.
Burnley against Chelsea, Saturday afternoon half past twelve (start times GMT)
Antoine Semenyo key to ending Cherries' slide
Antoine Semenyo is attracting the complete rumour-mill attention amid a reported £65m release clause for his potential mid-season move, the tabloids preparing him for promotion from the Premier League's average tier. This is understandable from a wide player who has a half-dozen strikes and three assists and remains delightful to watch. However, his side find themselves in an tricky position, having undergone a role reversal: it is the relegation battlers West Ham who enter with successive wins, whereas Bournemouth have lost 7-1 combined in their past two fixtures following an promising beginning to the season. Semenyo was denied from the penalty spot by Emi Martínez in their heavy loss to Aston Villa yet taking on a defence without a clean sheet since August might be the best tonic.
Bournemouth vs West Ham, Saturday three o'clock
The striker a left-field option for England
It proved notable to listen to Thomas Tuchel name-drop Danny Welbeck on more than one occasion during the international break despite the fact that the Brighton striker celebrates 35 soon. “Even without knowing him, I understand what he could give me,” stated the England manager. “He could serve as a back-up for Harry [Kane] as a very orthodox No 9 role.” Having won the most recent of his 42 England games back in 2018, it's entirely possible that Welbeck may be in the squad to the World Cup provided he is able to maintain his goal-getting performances. The ex- Manchester United and Arsenal striker has a greater tally compared to any English player in the Premier League this season with six and is eager to boost that count when Brighton welcome Brentford in Saturday's match.
Brighton versus Brentford, Saturday afternoon three o'clock
Ryan Sessegnon crucial as playmaker and goalscorer
The Ryan Sessegnon tale has provided a degree of positivity to Fulham's uneven start. The former Tottenham man, who came back to his boyhood club in 2024 after five challenging years at Tottenham, has become a consistent pick, operating on the left side in the absence of the unavailable Antonee Robinson. The concern? On two goals, he is their joint-top scorer in the league together with Harry Wilson. Their main striker, their primary attacker in the last term, has netted a single goal while Rodrigo Muniz is unavailable for the long term because of a surgical procedure. Sessegnon must also having to step up as an assist provider replacing Robinson, who supplied 10 assists last time round. The Cottagers' upcoming four matches include three from the top five plus Crystal Palace, who have conceded merely nine scores this season this season. A threat emerges for a side that have developed a standing for solidity in the central positions.
Fulham versus Sunderland, Saturday 3:00 PM
The occasion for Isak to deliver for Liverpool
The dispute about Virgil van Dijk's chalked-off effort versus Manchester City failed to mask Liverpool's deficiencies during the match as they lost to loss number seven in 10 games. The manager's squad require a sustained recovery to force their way into the title race from here, plus a significant improvement in form, and a chance presents itself as seven from their following ten league games versus teams currently in the bottom ten in the league. The danger is evident posed by Nottingham Forest, the only team to deliver a home league defeat to the title holders last season, but it is not only Liverpool's display when facing aerial passes and fast breaks that will be under scrutiny. Now is the occasion for Alexander Isak to show up in a Liverpool shirt. The expensive signing has been absent at club level over four weeks after picking up a muscle issue when making his second appearance in the lineup in quick succession in Europe victory at Eintracht Frankfurt. He reappeared off the bench during Sweden's reverse to Switzerland but missed the subsequent dead rubber versus Slovenia to ensure his fitness for next year's World Cup playoffs. A yellow card on Tuesday might have ruled him out. Isak may be short of|lacking|deficient
