English top flight: 10 things to watch for this matchday
1. Garnacho and Walker ready for a fresh encounter
A Manchester reunion could be on the cards when Burnley's Kyle Walker confronts the Blues' Alejandro Garnacho in Lancashire. The attacker is adapting well at Stamford Bridge after his close-season transfer from Old Trafford and demonstrated his skills in the Wolves match before the fixture pause. His setup for Pedro Neto blended blistering pace with a flawless grounded ball. His creation for Malo Gusto required moving onto his right prior to dinking a cross toward the far post. His goal reaction with Neto, mirroring his earlier celebration with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, was a testament of the speed at which circumstances change. The last time Garnacho took on Walker? During the Argentine scored for United during their FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
Burnley versus Chelsea, Saturday half past twelve (start times GMT)
The winger key to ending Cherries' slide
Antoine Semenyo is receiving the full transfer speculation focus amid a alleged £65m release clause for his possible January departure, the gossip columns preparing him for promotion from the Premier League's middle class. This is understandable for a winger with a half-dozen strikes and three setups and remains joyous to watch. Still, Bournemouth are in an awkward position, experiencing a form flip: now it's the bottom-half team West Ham who enter on back-to-back victories, while Bournemouth have been beaten seven-one combined in their previous two fixtures following an promising start to the season. Semenyo saw his attempt stopped on the penalty by Emi Martínez during the four-nil loss to Aston Villa yet taking on a backline without a goalless game since August could be the ideal tonic.
Bournemouth against West Ham, Saturday 3:00 PM
The striker a left-field choice for the Three Lions
It seemed notable to hear Thomas Tuchel name-drop Danny Welbeck multiple times during the international break even though the Brighton attacker celebrates 35 in the coming days. “Even without having met him, I am aware what he could provide,” commented the England manager. “He can be a stand-in for Harry [Kane] playing a quite conventional striker position.” Gaining the final 42 caps in 2018, it's entirely possible that Welbeck could be on the plane for the World Cup if he manages to maintain his goal-getting performances. Once of Manchester United and Arsenal striker has more goals over every other English footballer in the top flight this term having six and will be anxious to boost that tally when Brighton entertain Brentford on Saturday.
Brighton vs Brentford, Saturday 3pm
Ryan Sessegnon needed as creator and scorer
The narrative around Ryan Sessegnon has offered a degree of positivity to Fulham's inconsistent beginning. The left-sided player, who rejoined his boyhood club in 2024 after five tough years at Tottenham, has emerged as a first-team fixture, operating on the left flank in the absence of the sidelined Antonee Robinson. The concern? Having scored twice, he is their joint-top scorer in the Premier League alongside Harry Wilson. The Mexican striker, their top scorer the previous campaign, has bagged a single goal while Rodrigo Muniz is unavailable for an extended period because of a hamstring operation. Sessegnon must also having to step up in a creative role in place of Robinson, who supplied ten helpers last time round. The Cottagers' next four fixtures take in three from the top five and Crystal Palace, who have allowed merely nine strikes in the league so far. A threat emerges for a side that have developed a name for solidity in the central positions.
Fulham vs Sunderland, Saturday afternoon 3:00 PM
5. Time for Isak to deliver for Liverpool
The debate about Virgil van Dijk's ruled-out strike in the match with Manchester City could not hide Liverpool's deficiencies during the match as they fell to loss number seven in ten matches. The manager's squad require a sustained recovery to force their way into the league contest from here, along with a significant improvement in form, and opportunity presents itself with seven of their following ten Premier League matches facing clubs at the moment in the bottom half in the league. The risk is evident from Nottingham Forest, the single club to inflict a loss at Anfield to the title holders the previous campaign, however it's not just Liverpool's performance when facing direct play and quick transitions that is under the spotlight. It is time for Alexander Isak to show up in a Liverpool shirt. The big-money forward has been absent in domestic action in a month after picking up a muscle issue while his second consecutive start in quick succession in the Champions League win at Eintracht Frankfurt. The striker came back from the bench in Sweden's reverse by Switzerland but sat out the subsequent meaningless match against Slovenia to ensure his readiness for the upcoming World Cup playoffs. A yellow card during the game might have made him ineligible. Isak may be short of|lacking|deficient
