English top flight: 10 things to look out for this matchday
Garnacho versus Walker ready for a fresh clash
A Mancunian rematch may be on the cards when the Clarets' Kyle Walker lines up against Chelsea's Alejandro Garnacho on Burnley's turf. The wide man is finding his feet at Stamford Bridge after his summer move from Manchester United and displayed his talents versus Wolverhampton before the international break. His key pass for Pedro Neto mixed rapid acceleration with a ideal low cross. His creation for Malo Gusto required shifting infield before dinking a ball to the back post. His joyous moment with Neto, echoing his earlier celebration with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, served as a reminder of the speed at which circumstances change. The previous occasion Garnacho encountered Walker? Back when the Argentine found the net for United in the FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
Burnley against Chelsea, Saturday half past twelve (start times GMT)
Antoine Semenyo vital to stopping Cherries' decline
Antoine Semenyo is receiving the full rumour-mill focus amid a reported £65m escape clause for his prospective mid-season move, the gossip columns positioning him for promotion from the Premier League's middle class. This is understandable from a attacker with six finishes and three assists and is pleasurable to watch. Still, Bournemouth find themselves in an difficult situation, experiencing a role reversal: now it's the relegation battlers West Ham who arrive on back-to-back victories, while Bournemouth have lost 7-1 combined in their last two fixtures following an impressive start to the campaign. Semenyo had his effort saved on the penalty by Emi Martínez in their 4-0 defeat to Aston Villa however facing a backline that hasn't kept a shutout for months might be the perfect tonic.
Bournemouth against West Ham, Saturday afternoon three o'clock
3. Welbeck a left-field choice for England
It proved intriguing to listen to Thomas Tuchel reference Danny Welbeck repeatedly throughout the international break even though the Brighton striker reaches 35 next week. “Even without having met him, I am aware what he is able to provide,” commented the England boss. “He might act as a reserve for Harry [Kane] as a quite orthodox centre-forward role.” Having won the final 42 caps several years ago, it's entirely possible that Welbeck could be on the plane for the World Cup provided he is able to continue his goalscoring exploits. The former Manchester United and Arsenal forward can claim a greater tally compared to any English footballer in the Premier League this term with six and remains eager to increase that tally as Brighton host Brentford on Saturday.
Brighton against Brentford, Saturday 3pm
4. Sessegnon crucial as assist provider and scorer
Sessegnon's story has provided a degree of comfort to Fulham's inconsistent beginning. The former Tottenham man, who came back to his boyhood club in 2024 after five challenging years at Tottenham, has emerged as a first-team fixture, pushing forward on the left side due to the injury of the sidelined Antonee Robinson. The issue? With two goals, he's also their joint-top scorer in the Premier League as well as Harry Wilson. Their main striker, their top scorer last season, has scored once whereas Rodrigo Muniz is unavailable until 2026 because of hamstring surgery. Sessegnon must also needing to deliver as a creator replacing Robinson, who registered ten setups in the previous campaign. Fulham's next four fixtures include three among the top five plus Crystal Palace, who have allowed only nine goals this season to date. Danger looms for a team that have built a reputation for consistency in the middle.
Fulham versus Sunderland, Saturday afternoon 3pm
The occasion for Alexander Isak to deliver for the Merseyside club
The debate surrounding Virgil van Dijk's disallowed goal against Manchester City did not camouflage Liverpool's deficiencies on the day as they lost to their seventh loss over ten fixtures. The manager's squad require a consistent improvement to enter the league contest from here, along with a significant boost in performance, and opportunity emerges as seven out of their next 10 Premier League matches versus sides presently in the bottom ten in the league. The threat is evident posed by Nottingham Forest, the sole side to deliver a defeat on their own turf to the title holders the previous campaign, however it's not just Liverpool's display when facing direct play and counterattacks that will be in focus. Now is the occasion that Alexander Isak to show up for Liverpool. The big-money forward has not played at club level over four weeks after picking up a muscle issue while his second appearance in the lineup over a short period in the Champions League victory at Eintracht Frankfurt. He reappeared as a substitute during Sweden's defeat to Switzerland but sat out Tuesday's meaningless match versus Slovenia to ensure his availability for the World Cup knockout rounds. A caution in that match could have suspended him. He might be short of|lacking|deficient
