Premier League: ten highlights to keep an eye on this round of fixtures
Walker faces Garnacho ready for a new battle
A Mancunian rematch may be in the offing when the Clarets' Kyle Walker confronts the Blues' Alejandro Garnacho in Lancashire. The wide man is finding his feet in west London after his summer move from Old Trafford and showcased his skills in the Wolves match before the international break. His assist for Pedro Neto combined blistering pace and a perfect low cross. His creation for Malo Gusto involved shifting infield before chipping a delivery toward the far post. His joyous moment with Neto, echoing his previous hug with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, was a reminder of the pace with which things transform. The last time Garnacho encountered Walker? When the former found the net for United during their FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
Burnley against Chelsea, Saturday 12.30pm (kick-offs GMT)
The winger key to stopping Cherries' slump
Antoine Semenyo is attracting the entire transfer speculation attention following a claimed £65m release clause for a prospective January departure, the gossip columns setting him up for advancement out of the Premier League's mid-table ranks. This is to be expected from a winger who has six finishes and three helpers and remains joyous to watch. However, his side occupy an tricky situation, having engaged in a body swap: now it's the bottom-half team West Ham who enter on consecutive triumphs, while Bournemouth have been beaten 7-1 on aggregate over their past two games after an promising opening to the season. Semenyo saw his attempt stopped on the penalty by Emi Martínez during the four-nil loss by Aston Villa yet facing a backline lacking a goalless game for months could be the perfect tonic.
Bournemouth against West Ham, Saturday afternoon 3pm
The striker a left-field choice for the national team
It seemed notable to hear Thomas Tuchel name-drop Danny Welbeck on more than one occasion throughout the national team window although the Brighton attacker celebrates 35 soon. “Without even knowing him, I am aware what he could offer me,” commented the England manager. “He can be a stand-in for Harry [Kane] as a very traditional centre-forward role.” Earning the final 42 England games back in 2018, it's quite plausible that Welbeck might be on the plane to the World Cup provided he manages to maintain his goalscoring feats. The ex- Manchester United and Arsenal attacker boasts additional strikes over every other English performer in England's top division this season with six and remains anxious to boost that count when Brighton welcome Brentford this weekend.
Brighton vs Brentford, Saturday 3pm
Ryan Sessegnon crucial as assist provider and goalscorer
The Ryan Sessegnon tale has provided some comfort to Fulham's uneven beginning. The left-sided player, who returned to his youth team in 2024 after five challenging years with Spurs, has emerged as a regular starter, operating on the left flank in the absence of the sidelined Antonee Robinson. The concern? With two goals, he is their leading marksman in the league as well as Harry Wilson. Raúl Jiménez, their leading man the previous campaign, has bagged a single goal whereas Rodrigo Muniz is out for an extended period due to hamstring surgery. Sessegnon is also needing to deliver as a creator replacing Robinson, who supplied ten setups last time round. Fulham's next four games include three among the best five as well as Crystal Palace, who have allowed only nine scores this season so far. Trouble awaits for a team that have earned a name for solidity in the central positions.
Fulham vs Sunderland, Saturday 3pm
The occasion for The striker to deliver for Liverpool
The controversy surrounding Virgil van Dijk's disallowed goal versus Manchester City could not hide Liverpool's inferiority on the day as they lost to a seventh defeat in 10 games. The manager's squad need a consistent improvement to muscle into the championship chase from here, plus a dramatic upturn in results, and a chance arises with seven of their upcoming ten Premier League matches against sides at the moment in the bottom ten of the table. The danger is clear posed by Nottingham Forest, the single club to deliver a defeat on their own turf on the champions last season, yet it isn't solely Liverpool's performance against direct play and fast breaks that is under scrutiny. Now is the occasion that Alexander Isak to show up wearing red. The £125m striker has not featured for his club over four weeks having sustained a muscle issue while his second consecutive start over a short period in Europe triumph abroad. He reappeared from the bench in Sweden's defeat by Switzerland but missed Tuesday's meaningless match against Slovenia to guarantee his availability for the upcoming World Cup knockout rounds. A caution in that match might have made him ineligible. The striker could be short of|lacking|deficient
