English top flight: 10 things to look out for this round of fixtures
1. Garnacho and Walker set for another battle
Another northwest showdown could be in store when the Clarets' Kyle Walker confronts Chelsea's Alejandro Garnacho on Burnley's turf. The wide man is finding his feet at Stamford Bridge following his off-season signing from Old Trafford and showcased his talents against Wolves before the fixture pause. His setup for Pedro Neto mixed blistering pace and a perfect along-the-deck delivery. His build-up for Malo Gusto involved cutting inside prior to lofting a ball toward the far post. His celebration with Neto, replicating his previous embrace with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, acted as a reminder of the pace with which things transform. The most recent instance Garnacho encountered Walker? Back when the former netted for United in the FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
Burnley vs Chelsea, Saturday afternoon 12.30pm (start times GMT)
The winger crucial to stopping Bournemouth's slide
Antoine Semenyo is receiving the full rumour-mill focus due to a reported ÂŁ65m buyout clause for a potential mid-season move, the tabloids positioning him for graduation from the Premier League's average tier. It is understandable for a attacker with six finishes and three helpers and is delightful to watch. However, his side find themselves in an tricky situation, experiencing a role reversal: it is the bottom-half team West Ham who arrive on back-to-back victories, while Bournemouth are down 7-1 over two games over their previous two fixtures following an impressive start to the campaign. Semenyo saw his attempt stopped from the spot by Emi MartĂnez in the 4-0 defeat by Aston Villa but taking on a backline without a shutout since August might be the perfect remedy.
Bournemouth against West Ham, Saturday afternoon 3:00 PM
3. Welbeck a surprise shout for the Three Lions
It was notable to hear Thomas Tuchel mention Danny Welbeck repeatedly during the international break even though the Brighton striker reaches 35 in the coming days. “Without even being familiar with him, I know what he can provide,” stated the England coach. “He might act as a stand-in for Harry [Kane] playing a very conventional striker position.” Earning the most recent of his 42 international appearances in 2018, it's entirely possible that Welbeck might be on the plane to the World Cup assuming he manages to maintain his goalscoring performances. Once of Manchester United and Arsenal forward has a greater tally over every other English player in the top flight this campaign with six and will be eager to increase that total when Brighton entertain Brentford this weekend.
Brighton vs Brentford, Saturday 3:00 PM
4. Sessegnon crucial as playmaker and goalscorer
Sessegnon's story has offered some positivity to Fulham's bumpy opening. The former Tottenham man, who returned to his youth team in 2024 after five difficult years with Spurs, is now a first-team fixture, pushing forward on the left flank due to the injury of the injured Antonee Robinson. The issue? Having scored twice, he's also their leading marksman in the Premier League alongside Harry Wilson. The Mexican striker, their leading man last season, has netted one goal while Rodrigo Muniz is unavailable for the long term due to hamstring surgery. Sessegnon must also having to step up as a creator replacing Robinson, who registered ten helpers last time round. Fulham's upcoming four fixtures include three from the best five and Crystal Palace, who have allowed only nine goals in the league to date. Danger looms for a team that have developed a reputation for solidity in the central positions.
Fulham vs Sunderland, Saturday 3:00 PM
The moment for The striker to deliver for the Merseyside club
The dispute regarding Virgil van Dijk's chalked-off effort against Manchester City could not hide Liverpool's inferiority in that game as they fell to a seventh defeat in 10 games. Arne Slot's side need a consistent improvement to force their way into the championship chase from this position, along with a dramatic boost in performance, and the possibility presents itself as seven from their next 10 top-flight fixtures against sides at the moment in the bottom half in the league. The threat is evident from Nottingham Forest, the sole side to deliver a defeat on their own turf on the champions last season, yet it isn't solely Liverpool's performance when facing aerial passes and fast breaks that will be under the spotlight. Now is the occasion for Alexander Isak to deliver wearing red. The big-money forward has not played for his club in a month having sustained a muscle issue while his second start in four days in the Champions League win abroad. Isak returned from the bench in Sweden's defeat to Switzerland but missed the subsequent inconsequential game against Slovenia to secure his fitness for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers. A yellow card during the game might have ruled him out. Isak may be short of|lacking|deficient
