Premier League: 10 things to look out for this round of fixtures
1. Garnacho and Walker poised for a fresh encounter
A Mancunian rematch could be in store when Burnley's Kyle Walker faces the Blues' Alejandro Garnacho at Turf Moor. The attacker is finding his feet with Chelsea following his close-season transfer from the Red Devils and showcased his skills against Wolves before the international break. His setup for Pedro Neto blended rapid acceleration and a flawless along-the-deck delivery. His creation for Malo Gusto required shifting infield prior to chipping a delivery across the goalmouth. His joyous moment with Neto, replicating his prior celebration with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, was a testament of the pace with which circumstances change. The most recent instance Garnacho took on Walker? Back when the youngster found the net for United in their FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
Burnley vs Chelsea, Saturday 12.30pm (all times GMT)
2. Semenyo crucial to stopping Cherries' decline
Antoine Semenyo is attracting the complete gossip column treatment amid a reported £65m buyout clause for a potential mid-season move, the tabloids setting him up for advancement from the Premier League's average tier. That is understandable from a winger with six finishes and three helpers and is pleasurable to watch. Still, Bournemouth find themselves in an awkward position, having undergone a form flip: now it's the relegation battlers West Ham who come in with consecutive triumphs, while Bournemouth have lost seven to one over two games in their previous two fixtures following an promising opening to the campaign. Semenyo saw his attempt stopped from the spot by Emi Martínez in the four-nil loss by Aston Villa however taking on a defence without a clean sheet in the league since the start of the season could be the ideal remedy.
Bournemouth vs West Ham, Saturday three o'clock
Danny Welbeck a surprise shout for England
It proved intriguing to listen to Thomas Tuchel reference Danny Welbeck multiple times during the national team window despite the fact that the Brighton attacker turns 35 in the coming days. “Despite not being familiar with him, I know what he could offer me,” stated the England boss. “He can be a reserve for Harry [Kane] as a very traditional centre-forward position.” Gaining the last of his 42 England games back in 2018, it's quite plausible that Welbeck might be in the squad to the World Cup assuming he manages to sustain his scoring performances. The former Manchester United and Arsenal forward can claim additional strikes over every other English footballer in England's top division this campaign with six and is keen to boost that total when Brighton host Brentford this weekend.
Brighton vs Brentford, Saturday 3pm
The full-back required as assist provider and finisher
Sessegnon's story has provided a degree of positivity to Fulham's bumpy opening. The 25-year-old, who returned to his youth team recently after five tough years at Tottenham, has become a consistent pick, operating on the left with the sidelined Antonee Robinson. The worry? On two goals, he's also their top goalscorer this season alongside Harry Wilson. Raúl Jiménez, their primary attacker the previous campaign, has scored a single goal while Rodrigo Muniz is injured until 2026 because of a surgical procedure. Sessegnon is also needing to deliver as a creator replacing Robinson, who registered 10 assists in the previous campaign. Fulham's next four fixtures feature three from the leading five plus Crystal Palace, who have allowed only nine goals in the Premier League so far. Danger looms for the club that have built a reputation for mid-table stability.
Fulham against Sunderland, Saturday afternoon 3pm
The moment for The striker to perform for the Merseyside club
The controversy surrounding Virgil van Dijk's chalked-off effort in the match with Manchester City could not hide Liverpool's shortcomings during the match as they succumbed to a seventh defeat in 10 games. Arne Slot's squad need a consistent improvement to enter the league contest from their current spot, plus a major boost in performance, and opportunity emerges with seven from their upcoming ten Premier League matches against clubs presently in the bottom half in the league. The danger is clear from Nottingham Forest, the single club to inflict a defeat on their own turf on the champions the previous campaign, but it is not only Liverpool's showing against direct play and fast breaks that is in focus. Now is the occasion that Alexander Isak to show up wearing red. The expensive signing has not featured for his club over four weeks after picking up a muscle issue during his second start over a short period in the Champions League win at Eintracht Frankfurt. He reappeared as a substitute in the Swedish defeat by Switzerland but was rested Tuesday's dead rubber versus Slovenia to secure his fitness for the upcoming World Cup knockout rounds. A booking in that match might have made him ineligible. He might be short of|lacking|deficient
