Premier League: ten key points to keep an eye on this weekend
Walker faces Garnacho poised for another clash
A Mancunian rematch may be on the cards as the Clarets' Kyle Walker faces the Blues' Alejandro Garnacho at Turf Moor. The wide man has started to settle at Stamford Bridge after his summer move from the Red Devils and showcased his skills versus Wolverhampton before the international break. His key pass for Pedro Neto mixed blistering pace with a flawless along-the-deck delivery. His contribution for Malo Gusto entailed cutting inside before chipping a ball across the goalmouth. His joyous moment with Neto, mirroring his earlier hug with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, served as a indication of how quickly things transform. The most recent instance Garnacho faced Walker? During the former found the net for United in their cup final win over Manchester City.
Burnley vs Chelsea, Saturday half past twelve (kick-offs GMT)
Antoine Semenyo vital to halting Cherries' decline
Antoine Semenyo is getting the entire rumour-mill focus due to a reported £65m release clause for his potential winter exit, the tabloids preparing him for advancement out of the Premier League's average tier. It is predictable from a wide player who has a half-dozen strikes and three helpers who is joyous to watch. Nonetheless, his side occupy an awkward situation, experiencing a form flip: now it's the bottom-half team West Ham who arrive with back-to-back victories, whereas Bournemouth are down 7-1 on aggregate in their last two games after an promising opening to the campaign. Semenyo saw his attempt stopped from the spot by Emi Martínez during the 4-0 defeat by Aston Villa yet confronting a defence lacking a goalless game for months may prove the best tonic.
Bournemouth versus West Ham, Saturday afternoon 3pm
3. Welbeck an outside choice for the Three Lions
It proved notable to listen to Thomas Tuchel reference Danny Welbeck repeatedly throughout the international break even though the Brighton attacker celebrates 35 soon. “Despite not having met him, I am aware what he can give me,” said the England coach. “He can be a stand-in for Harry [Kane] as a quite traditional striker role.” Gaining the most recent of his 42 caps in 2018, it's entirely possible that Welbeck could be selected for the World Cup assuming he manages to continue his goal-getting feats. Once of Manchester United and Arsenal forward has additional strikes compared to any English player in the Premier League this season on six and will be keen to add to that total when Brighton welcome Brentford in Saturday's match.
Brighton versus Brentford, Saturday three o'clock
The full-back crucial as creator and finisher
The Ryan Sessegnon tale has offered a degree of positivity to Fulham's inconsistent opening. The former Tottenham man, who returned to his boyhood club in 2024 following five tough years with Spurs, is now a consistent pick, driving down the left side in the absence of the unavailable Antonee Robinson. The concern? Having scored twice, he's also their leading marksman in the Premier League as well as Harry Wilson. Their main striker, their top scorer the previous campaign, has scored once while Rodrigo Muniz is unavailable for an extended period owing to a surgical procedure. Additionally, Sessegnon having to step up as an assist provider replacing Robinson, who supplied ten helpers last time round. Fulham's following four fixtures take in three of the best five and Crystal Palace, who have let in just nine goals in the Premier League to date. A threat emerges for the club that have earned a reputation for mid-table stability.
Fulham vs Sunderland, Saturday 3:00 PM
5. Time for The striker to produce for the Merseyside club
The dispute regarding Virgil van Dijk's disallowed goal against Manchester City did not camouflage Liverpool's inferiority in that game as they succumbed to loss number seven over ten fixtures. Arne Slot's squad must have a sustained recovery to enter the league contest from here, plus a dramatic boost in performance, and the possibility arises with seven from their next 10 league games versus teams at the moment in the lower half of the table. The risk is clear from Nottingham Forest, the sole side to hand a loss at Anfield on the champions last season, yet it isn't solely Liverpool's display when facing long balls and counterattacks that will be under the spotlight. Now is the occasion for Alexander Isak to perform in a Liverpool shirt. The big-money forward has not played at club level over four weeks after picking up a groin injury when making his second appearance in the lineup over a short period in continental competition victory at Eintracht Frankfurt. Isak returned from the bench in Sweden's loss by Switzerland but missed the midweek meaningless match against Slovenia to guarantee his fitness for next year's World Cup qualifiers. A yellow card during the game could have ruled him out. The striker could be short of|lacking|deficient
