English top flight: ten key points to keep an eye on this weekend
1. Garnacho and Walker set for another encounter
A Mancunian rematch may be on the cards as Burnley's Kyle Walker lines up against the Blues' Alejandro Garnacho in Lancashire. The attacker is finding his feet in west London following his close-season transfer from Manchester United and showcased his talents versus Wolverhampton before the fixture pause. His setup for Pedro Neto blended blistering pace and a ideal along-the-deck delivery. His creation for Malo Gusto involved shifting infield prior to chipping a delivery across the goalmouth. His celebration with Neto, mirroring his previous celebration with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, served as a testament of the speed at which situations evolve. The previous occasion Garnacho encountered Walker? During the former found the net for United in the FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
Burnley against Chelsea, Saturday afternoon 12:30 PM (all times GMT)
2. Semenyo key to stopping Bournemouth's slump
Antoine Semenyo is attracting the full gossip column focus following a reported £65m escape clause for his potential mid-season move, the gossip columns positioning him for graduation from the Premier League's mid-table ranks. It is predictable from a wide player who has a half-dozen strikes and three setups and remains pleasurable to watch. Still, Bournemouth occupy an difficult position, having undergone a role reversal: it is the bottom-half team West Ham who arrive with successive wins, while Bournemouth are down seven to one over two games over their past two fixtures following an strong beginning to the season. Semenyo saw his attempt stopped from the penalty spot by Emi Martínez during the heavy loss by Aston Villa yet taking on a defensive unit lacking a clean sheet for months could be the perfect tonic.
Bournemouth vs West Ham, Saturday three o'clock
Danny Welbeck an outside shout for the national team
It was interesting to hear Thomas Tuchel reference Danny Welbeck multiple times during the national team window even though the Brighton forward turns 35 soon. “Despite not being familiar with him, I know what he could provide,” stated the England manager. “He might act as a reserve for Harry [Kane] as a very conventional No 9 position.” Earning the final 42 international appearances in 2018, it's quite plausible that Welbeck could be selected for the World Cup assuming he manages to maintain his goalscoring feats. The ex- Manchester United and Arsenal attacker boasts additional strikes than any other English footballer in the Premier League this season having six and remains keen to increase that tally when Brighton welcome Brentford in Saturday's match.
Brighton against Brentford, Saturday 3pm
Ryan Sessegnon needed as creator and goalscorer
The Ryan Sessegnon tale has provided a measure of warmth to Fulham's inconsistent start. The 25-year-old, who returned to his former side last year after five difficult years in north London, has become a consistent pick, operating on the left flank in the absence of the sidelined Antonee Robinson. The concern? With two goals, he's also their top goalscorer in the Premier League together with Harry Wilson. The Mexican striker, their top scorer the previous campaign, has scored one goal whereas Rodrigo Muniz is out for an extended period owing to hamstring surgery. Sessegnon is also having to step up as an assist provider in place of Robinson, who registered 10 assists in the previous campaign. The Cottagers' upcoming four fixtures take in three from the best five as well as Crystal Palace, who have conceded just nine scores in the Premier League to date. A threat emerges for a team that have built a name for solidity in the central positions.
Fulham against Sunderland, Saturday afternoon 3pm
The moment for Isak to perform for Liverpool
The debate regarding Virgil van Dijk's disallowed goal versus Manchester City failed to mask Liverpool's shortcomings on the day as they succumbed to a seventh defeat in 10 games. The coach's team require a sustained recovery to force their way into the title race from this position, along with a significant upturn in results, and the possibility arises with seven out of their upcoming ten Premier League matches against teams presently in the bottom ten in the standings. The threat is evident from Nottingham Forest, the only team to inflict a loss at Anfield on the champions the previous campaign, however it's not just Liverpool's display against aerial passes and counterattacks that will be under the spotlight. It is time that Alexander Isak to perform in a Liverpool shirt. The big-money forward has not played in domestic action in a month after picking up a groin problem while his second appearance in the lineup over a short period in continental competition win at Eintracht Frankfurt. Isak returned as a substitute in the Swedish defeat against Switzerland but was rested the midweek dead rubber versus Slovenia to guarantee his fitness for the upcoming World Cup playoffs. A caution during the game might have ruled him out. The striker could be short of|lacking|deficient
