Premier division: ten highlights to keep an eye on this round of fixtures
Walker faces Garnacho ready for a fresh battle
Another northwest showdown might be on the cards when the Clarets' Kyle Walker faces the Blues' Alejandro Garnacho in Lancashire. The wide man has started to settle in west London after his close-season transfer from Manchester United and showcased his skills against Wolves prior to the fixture pause. His key pass for Pedro Neto mixed blistering pace with a perfect grounded ball. His contribution for Malo Gusto entailed cutting inside prior to dinking a ball to the back post. His celebration with Neto, echoing his earlier embrace with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, acted as a indication of the pace with which situations evolve. The previous occasion Garnacho encountered Walker? When the Argentine scored for United during their FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
Burnley against Chelsea, Saturday afternoon 12:30 PM (start times GMT)
Antoine Semenyo vital to stopping Cherries' decline
Antoine Semenyo is attracting the entire rumour-mill attention due to a claimed £65m escape clause for a prospective mid-season move, the media positioning him for graduation from the Premier League's middle class. This is to be expected from a attacker with a half-dozen strikes plus three setups and is joyous to watch. Nonetheless, his side are in an awkward situation, having undergone a form flip: it is the bottom-half team West Ham who come in with successive wins, whereas Bournemouth have been beaten seven to one combined in their past two fixtures following an promising start to the season. Semenyo was denied from the spot by Emi Martínez in the 4-0 defeat to Aston Villa however confronting a defensive unit that hasn't kept a clean sheet for months could be the best remedy.
Bournemouth versus West Ham, Saturday afternoon 3pm
3. Welbeck an outside option for the Three Lions
It seemed notable to hear Thomas Tuchel name-drop Danny Welbeck on more than one occasion throughout the fixture pause even though the Brighton striker turns 35 soon. “Without even knowing him, I am aware what he could offer me,” commented the England boss. “He can be a reserve for Harry [Kane] playing a quite conventional centre-forward position.” Gaining the final 42 England games in 2018, it's entirely possible that Welbeck could be selected to the World Cup assuming he is able to continue his scoring exploits. The former Manchester United and Arsenal forward boasts additional strikes than any other English footballer in England's top division this season having six and is eager to add to that tally when Brighton entertain Brentford this weekend.
Brighton vs Brentford, Saturday afternoon 3pm
The full-back crucial as playmaker and finisher
Sessegnon's story has brought some warmth to Fulham's inconsistent opening. The 25-year-old, who returned to his youth team recently after five challenging years at Tottenham, has emerged as a consistent pick, operating on the left flank in the absence of the sidelined Antonee Robinson. The concern? Having scored twice, he's also their leading marksman in the league as well as Harry Wilson. Their main striker, their top scorer in the last term, has netted a single goal whereas Rodrigo Muniz is unavailable for an extended period due to hamstring surgery. Additionally, Sessegnon having to step up as a creator replacing Robinson, who provided ten helpers last time round. Fulham's next four fixtures feature three from the best five and Crystal Palace, who have conceded just nine scores in the league to date. A threat emerges for a side that have earned a standing for mid-table stability.
Fulham vs Sunderland, Saturday three o'clock
5. Time for The striker to perform for the Reds
The dispute about Virgil van Dijk's ruled-out strike in the match with Manchester City did not camouflage Liverpool's inferiority on the day as they lost to their seventh loss in ten matches. The manager's squad need a sustained recovery to enter the title race from their current spot, along with a dramatic improvement in form, and opportunity presents itself as seven from their next 10 league games versus clubs at the moment in the bottom ten in the league. The threat is clear posed by Nottingham Forest, the sole side to inflict a home league defeat to the title holders the previous campaign, however it's not just Liverpool's display versus aerial passes and counterattacks that is under scrutiny. Now is the occasion that Alexander Isak to perform for Liverpool. The expensive signing has not featured at club level for a month after picking up a muscle issue when making his second appearance in the lineup in four days in the Champions League victory abroad. He reappeared off the bench in Sweden's defeat by Switzerland but was rested the subsequent meaningless match versus Slovenia to secure his fitness for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers. A yellow card in that match might have made him ineligible. Isak may be short of|lacking|deficient
