English top flight: 10 things to look out for this round of fixtures
Walker faces Garnacho poised for another encounter
A Manchester reunion could be in store when Burnley's Kyle Walker faces Chelsea's Alejandro Garnacho on Burnley's turf. The attacker is finding his feet at Stamford Bridge following his summer move from Manchester United and displayed his talents in the Wolves match before the fixture pause. His assist for Pedro Neto blended rapid acceleration with a perfect along-the-deck delivery. His contribution for Malo Gusto involved shifting infield prior to chipping a delivery to the back post. His celebration with Neto, mirroring his earlier hug with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, acted as a testament of the pace with which circumstances change. The most recent instance Garnacho took on Walker? Back when the Argentine netted for United during their cup final win over Manchester City.
Burnley against Chelsea, Saturday 12:30 PM (start times GMT)
Antoine Semenyo key to ending Cherries' slide
Antoine Semenyo is receiving the complete gossip column focus amid a reported £65m escape clause for his potential January departure, the media positioning him for graduation out of the Premier League's average tier. It is to be expected for a attacker who has six finishes plus three setups who is joyous to watch. Nonetheless, his team find themselves in an difficult situation, having undergone a form flip: it is the bottom-half team West Ham who arrive with back-to-back victories, whereas Bournemouth have lost seven to one combined over their last two matches following an promising opening to the season. Semenyo was denied on the penalty by Emi Martínez in their 4-0 defeat by Aston Villa yet taking on a defensive unit without a goalless game in the league since the start of the season might be the perfect solution.
Bournemouth versus West Ham, Saturday 3:00 PM
Danny Welbeck a surprise shout for the national team
It seemed notable to hear Thomas Tuchel name-drop Danny Welbeck repeatedly during the national team window even though the Brighton striker turns 35 next week. “Without even having met him, I understand what he is able to offer me,” said the England boss. “He can be a back-up for Harry [Kane] in a very traditional striker role.” Having won the final 42 England games several years ago, it's quite plausible that Welbeck may be on the plane for the World Cup assuming he can continue his scoring performances. The ex- Manchester United and Arsenal forward has a greater tally than any other English footballer in the Premier League this term with six and is eager to add to that count when Brighton welcome Brentford this weekend.
Brighton against Brentford, Saturday afternoon 3pm
4. Sessegnon crucial as playmaker and scorer
The Ryan Sessegnon tale has provided a degree of comfort to Fulham's inconsistent start. The left-sided player, who returned to his youth team in 2024 following five challenging years in north London, has emerged as a first-team fixture, driving down the left side due to the injury of the sidelined Antonee Robinson. The worry? On two goals, he's also their leading marksman in the Premier League as well as Harry Wilson. Their main striker, their leading man the previous campaign, has bagged a single goal while Rodrigo Muniz is injured until 2026 because of a surgical procedure. Sessegnon is also having to step up as a creator in place of Robinson, who registered 10 assists last time round. The Cottagers' upcoming four games take in three among the best five as well as Crystal Palace, who have conceded just nine goals in the Premier League so far. Danger looms for a side that have built a standing for consistency in the middle.
Fulham against Sunderland, Saturday 3pm
The occasion for Alexander Isak to perform for the Reds
The debate surrounding Virgil van Dijk's disallowed goal in the match with Manchester City did not camouflage Liverpool's shortcomings during the match as they lost to loss number seven over ten fixtures. The manager's side must have a consistent improvement to force their way into the league contest from this position, along with a major upturn in results, and opportunity emerges as seven of their following ten top-flight fixtures against teams currently in the bottom half in the league. The danger is evident from Nottingham Forest, the sole side to deliver a defeat on their own turf to Liverpool last season, however it's not just Liverpool's showing versus direct play and fast breaks that is under the spotlight. The moment has come that Alexander Isak to deliver for Liverpool. The £125m striker has been absent at club level for a month following a groin injury when making his second consecutive start in four days in the Champions League win abroad. He reappeared as a substitute during Sweden's reverse against Switzerland but sat out Tuesday's meaningless match versus Slovenia to secure his fitness for the World Cup qualifiers. A yellow card during the game could have made him ineligible. The striker could be short of|lacking|deficient
