Premier League: 10 things to watch for this matchday
Garnacho versus Walker ready for another encounter
A Manchester reunion may be in the offing as Burnley's Kyle Walker confronts Chelsea's Alejandro Garnacho in Lancashire. The attacker is finding his feet at Stamford Bridge following his close-season transfer from Manchester United and showcased his talents versus Wolverhampton prior to the international break. His assist for Pedro Neto blended blistering pace and a flawless along-the-deck delivery. His build-up for Malo Gusto involved moving onto his right prior to lofting a delivery toward the far post. His goal reaction with Neto, mirroring his earlier hug with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, was a indication of the pace with which things transform. The last time Garnacho took on Walker? When the youngster found the net for United during their FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
Burnley against Chelsea, Saturday half past twelve (all times GMT)
Antoine Semenyo key to halting Cherries' slide
Antoine Semenyo is attracting the full gossip column attention following a reported £65m release clause for his prospective January departure, the gossip columns positioning him for graduation from the Premier League's middle class. This is understandable from a winger who has six finishes plus three assists and is pleasurable to watch. Still, his team find themselves in an difficult situation, having engaged in a body swap: it is the bottom-half team West Ham who arrive with consecutive triumphs, whereas Bournemouth have lost seven-one over two games over their last two matches following an promising beginning to the campaign. Semenyo was denied on the penalty by Emi Martínez in their four-nil loss by Aston Villa but facing a defence lacking a goalless game for months may prove the ideal remedy.
Bournemouth against West Ham, Saturday afternoon 3:00 PM
The striker a left-field shout for England
It proved interesting to hear Thomas Tuchel name-drop Danny Welbeck on more than one occasion during the international break even though the Brighton striker celebrates 35 in the coming days. “Despite not knowing him, I know what he can give me,” said the England manager. “He could serve as a back-up for Harry [Kane] as a quite traditional centre-forward role.” Having won the last of his 42 international appearances in 2018, it's quite plausible that Welbeck may be on the plane to the World Cup if he is able to maintain his goalscoring feats. The former Manchester United and Arsenal attacker can claim additional strikes than any other English footballer in the Premier League this season having six and is anxious to boost that tally when Brighton host Brentford in Saturday's match.
Brighton against Brentford, Saturday 3:00 PM
Ryan Sessegnon needed as playmaker and goalscorer
Sessegnon's story has brought some comfort to Fulham's bumpy beginning. The former Tottenham man, who returned to his youth team in 2024 following five challenging years in north London, has emerged as a first-team fixture, pushing forward on the left flank due to the injury of the unavailable Antonee Robinson. The issue? Having scored twice, he's also their joint-top scorer in the league as well as Harry Wilson. Raúl Jiménez, their primary attacker in the last term, has netted a single goal whereas Rodrigo Muniz is injured for the long term because of a surgical procedure. Additionally, Sessegnon having to step up as an assist provider instead of Robinson, who supplied ten setups last time round. The Cottagers' upcoming four games include three from the leading five as well as Crystal Palace, who have conceded just nine strikes in the league this season. Trouble awaits for the club that have earned a name for solidity in the central positions.
Fulham versus Sunderland, Saturday afternoon three o'clock
The occasion for Alexander Isak to deliver for the Merseyside club
The dispute surrounding Virgil van Dijk's chalked-off effort against Manchester City did not camouflage Liverpool's deficiencies on the day as they lost to loss number seven in 10 games. The manager's team need a prolonged upturn to enter the title race from here, plus a dramatic improvement in form, and a chance presents itself as seven out of their next 10 league games against sides at the moment in the lower half in the league. The risk is evident from Nottingham Forest, the only team to deliver a home league defeat to the title holders last season, yet it isn't solely Liverpool's display against direct play and quick transitions that is under the spotlight. Now is the occasion that Alexander Isak to perform for Liverpool. The expensive signing has not featured at club level for a month having sustained a muscle issue while his second start in four days in Europe victory at Eintracht Frankfurt. He reappeared from the bench in Sweden's reverse by Switzerland but sat out the subsequent dead rubber against Slovenia to guarantee his availability for the World Cup qualifiers. A yellow card on Tuesday would have made him ineligible. He might be short of|lacking|deficient
