Premier League: ten highlights to watch for this matchday
Walker faces Garnacho poised for a new clash
Another northwest showdown may be in the offing as the Clarets' Kyle Walker confronts the Blues' Alejandro Garnacho on Burnley's turf. The attacker is adapting well with Chelsea after his summer move from Old Trafford and displayed his skills in the Wolves match before the fixture pause. His assist for Pedro Neto blended blistering pace with a perfect grounded ball. His build-up for Malo Gusto required shifting infield prior to dinking a cross toward the far post. His joyous moment with Neto, echoing his previous celebration with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, served as a reminder of the pace with which things transform. The last time Garnacho faced Walker? During the Argentine scored for United during their Wembley triumph against Manchester City.
Burnley against Chelsea, Saturday afternoon 12.30pm (start times GMT)
Antoine Semenyo crucial to halting Cherries' decline
Antoine Semenyo is getting the entire rumour-mill treatment amid a alleged £65m buyout clause for his prospective mid-season move, the gossip columns setting him up for graduation out of the Premier League's mid-table ranks. That is predictable for a winger who has a half-dozen strikes and three helpers who is pleasurable to watch. Still, his team find themselves in an awkward position, having engaged in a form flip: now it's the struggling side West Ham who enter on successive wins, whereas Bournemouth have been beaten 7-1 over two games over their past two fixtures following an strong opening to the season. Semenyo saw his attempt stopped on the penalty by Emi Martínez during the 4-0 defeat by Aston Villa yet confronting a defence that hasn't kept a goalless game for months may prove the ideal solution.
Bournemouth versus West Ham, Saturday 3:00 PM
The striker an outside shout for the national team
It was intriguing to listen to Thomas Tuchel reference Danny Welbeck multiple times throughout the international break despite the fact that the Brighton striker turns 35 next week. “Despite not being familiar with him, I know what he is able to give me,” said the England coach. “He could serve as a back-up for Harry [Kane] as a quite orthodox centre-forward position.” Gaining the final 42 international appearances back in 2018, there is every chance that Welbeck may be on the plane for the World Cup if he manages to sustain his goal-getting exploits. Once of Manchester United and Arsenal forward has additional strikes over every other English player in the Premier League this campaign having six and will be eager to boost that total as Brighton welcome Brentford this weekend.
Brighton vs Brentford, Saturday afternoon 3pm
4. Sessegnon required as creator and goalscorer
Sessegnon's story has provided some positivity to Fulham's inconsistent start. The left-sided player, who returned to his boyhood club in 2024 after five difficult years in north London, has become a consistent pick, pushing forward on the left flank in the absence of the sidelined Antonee Robinson. The worry? With two goals, he remains their joint-top scorer in the league alongside Harry Wilson. Raúl Jiménez, their top scorer the previous campaign, has bagged a single goal while Rodrigo Muniz is injured until 2026 owing to a surgical procedure. Sessegnon is also needing to deliver in a creative role instead of Robinson, who supplied 10 assists in the previous campaign. Fulham's next four fixtures take in three among the top five as well as Crystal Palace, who have let in just nine goals in the league so far. Danger looms for the club that have built a standing for mid-table stability.
Fulham versus Sunderland, Saturday afternoon three o'clock
The occasion for Isak to produce for Liverpool
The dispute surrounding Virgil van Dijk's chalked-off effort in the match with Manchester City failed to mask Liverpool's shortcomings in that game as they lost to their seventh loss in ten matches. The manager's squad must have a sustained recovery to muscle into the championship chase from their current spot, plus a major upturn in results, and opportunity emerges with seven from their upcoming ten league games against teams presently in the lower half in the standings. The threat is evident posed by Nottingham Forest, the sole side to deliver a home league defeat to the title holders the previous campaign, yet it isn't solely Liverpool's performance when facing aerial passes and fast breaks that remains in focus. It is time that Alexander Isak to perform wearing red. The big-money forward has been absent for his club over four weeks following a groin injury when making his second consecutive start over a short period in continental competition victory in Germany. The striker came back as a substitute during Sweden's defeat against Switzerland but sat out the midweek inconsequential game versus Slovenia to guarantee his availability for the World Cup knockout rounds. A caution in that match might have suspended him. He might be short of|lacking|deficient
