Premier League: 10 things to look out for this weekend
Walker faces Garnacho set for another encounter
A Mancunian rematch might be in store as the Clarets' Kyle Walker lines up against 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 displayed his abilities in the Wolves match prior to the fixture pause. His assist for Pedro Neto blended blistering pace and a ideal low cross. His contribution for Malo Gusto involved moving onto his right prior to lofting a cross across the goalmouth. His celebration with Neto, replicating his prior celebration with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, served as a reminder of the speed at which circumstances change. The previous occasion Garnacho encountered Walker? Back when the Argentine netted for United in their Wembley triumph over Manchester City.
Burnley vs Chelsea, Saturday 12:30 PM (start times GMT)
2. Semenyo vital to ending Bournemouth's decline
Antoine Semenyo is getting the full rumour-mill attention amid a reported £65m release clause for a potential winter exit, the media positioning him for graduation out of the Premier League's mid-table ranks. It is understandable from a wide player with a half-dozen strikes and three setups and is joyous to watch. However, Bournemouth occupy an difficult position, experiencing a role reversal: now it's the bottom-half team West Ham who enter with consecutive triumphs, whereas Bournemouth have been beaten seven-one on aggregate over their last two matches following an impressive start to the campaign. Semenyo had his effort saved from the spot by Emi Martínez in the four-nil loss to Aston Villa however taking on a defence that hasn't kept a shutout in the league since the start of the season might be the ideal remedy.
Bournemouth versus West Ham, Saturday afternoon three o'clock
Danny Welbeck an outside shout for England
It was intriguing to listen to Thomas Tuchel name-drop Danny Welbeck repeatedly throughout the fixture pause even though the Brighton attacker reaches 35 next week. “Despite not being familiar with him, I am aware what he can give me,” stated the England boss. “He could serve as a stand-in for Harry [Kane] in a very traditional striker role.” Earning the most recent of his 42 England games several years ago, there is every chance that Welbeck could be in the squad for the World Cup assuming he manages to sustain his goalscoring exploits. The former Manchester United and Arsenal attacker can claim a greater tally over every other English footballer in the Premier League this term with six and will be anxious to boost that count when Brighton welcome Brentford this weekend.
Brighton vs Brentford, Saturday afternoon 3:00 PM
4. Sessegnon crucial as creator and goalscorer
The narrative around Ryan Sessegnon has brought a degree of warmth to Fulham's uneven beginning. The 25-year-old, who returned to his boyhood club in 2024 after five challenging years at Tottenham, is now a consistent pick, driving down the left side in the absence of the injured Antonee Robinson. The issue? Having scored twice, he's also their joint-top scorer in the Premier League alongside Harry Wilson. Their main striker, their top scorer last season, has scored one goal whereas Rodrigo Muniz is unavailable for the long term due to a surgical procedure. Sessegnon must also needing to deliver as a creator replacing Robinson, who supplied ten setups in the previous campaign. The Cottagers' following four fixtures include three from the best five as well as Crystal Palace, who have let in merely nine goals in the league to date. A threat emerges for a side that have built a standing for solidity in the central positions.
Fulham versus Sunderland, Saturday afternoon 3:00 PM
5. Time for The striker to perform for the Reds
The controversy surrounding Virgil van Dijk's ruled-out strike versus Manchester City did not camouflage Liverpool's deficiencies in that game as they succumbed to their seventh loss in 10 games. The manager's side require a sustained recovery to muscle into the championship chase from their current spot, along with a significant boost in performance, and opportunity arises with seven of their next 10 Premier League matches facing teams presently in the bottom half in the standings. The danger is obvious posed by Nottingham Forest, the only team to deliver a home league defeat on the champions in the last term, however it's not just Liverpool's performance against long balls and counterattacks that is under the spotlight. It is time for Alexander Isak to perform wearing red. The £125m striker has not played in domestic action over four weeks having sustained a muscle issue while his second start in four days in Europe triumph in Germany. Isak returned from the bench in the Swedish defeat against Switzerland but was rested the subsequent dead rubber versus Slovenia to guarantee his availability for next year's World Cup qualifiers. A caution during the game might have ruled him out. Isak may be short of|lacking|deficient
