English top flight: ten highlights to keep an eye on this round of fixtures

Garnacho versus Walker set for another encounter

A Manchester reunion might be in the offing as the Clarets' Kyle Walker confronts the Blues' Alejandro Garnacho in Lancashire. The attacker has started to settle with Chelsea after his off-season signing from Manchester United and showcased his abilities against Wolves prior to the international break. His assist for Pedro Neto combined electric speed with a flawless low cross. His build-up for Malo Gusto involved cutting inside prior to dinking a delivery across the goalmouth. His goal reaction with Neto, replicating his earlier celebration with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, acted as a reminder of the speed at which circumstances change. The last time Garnacho took on Walker? Back when the former found the net for United in their cup final win over Manchester City.

Burnley against Chelsea, Saturday afternoon 12.30pm (kick-offs GMT)

The winger crucial to halting Cherries' slide

Antoine Semenyo is receiving the complete gossip column treatment following a alleged £65m escape clause for his potential mid-season move, the media preparing him for advancement from the Premier League's mid-table ranks. This is understandable for a winger who has six goals plus three setups who is pleasurable to watch. Still, his side occupy an difficult spot, having undergone a role reversal: it is the bottom-half team West Ham who arrive with successive wins, whereas Bournemouth have lost seven to one on aggregate in their previous two fixtures following an strong beginning to the campaign. Semenyo had his effort saved on the penalty by Emi Martínez in their 4-0 defeat by Aston Villa yet facing a defensive unit lacking a clean sheet in the league since the start of the season may prove the best tonic.

Bournemouth versus West Ham, Saturday afternoon 3:00 PM

The striker an outside shout for the national team

It proved interesting to hear Thomas Tuchel mention Danny Welbeck repeatedly during the fixture pause although the Brighton forward celebrates 35 next week. “Even without being familiar with him, I know what he can give me,” said the England manager. “He could serve as a back-up for Harry [Kane] as a quite orthodox No 9 role.” Gaining the last of his 42 England games several years ago, it's entirely possible that Welbeck could be in the squad to the World Cup assuming he can sustain his scoring feats. The former Manchester United and Arsenal attacker can claim additional strikes over every other English performer in the top flight this season on six and remains keen to add to that total when Brighton host Brentford this weekend.

Brighton versus Brentford, Saturday 3pm

4. Sessegnon needed as creator and finisher

The narrative around Ryan Sessegnon has offered a measure of warmth to Fulham's bumpy beginning. The former Tottenham man, who came back to his boyhood club last year after five difficult years at Tottenham, has become a first-team fixture, operating on the left in the absence of the sidelined Antonee Robinson. The concern? On two goals, he is their joint-top scorer in the Premier League together with Harry Wilson. Their main striker, their top scorer last season, has netted one goal while Rodrigo Muniz is injured until 2026 because of a hamstring operation. Additionally, Sessegnon needing to deliver as a creator in place of Robinson, who supplied ten helpers last time round. The Cottagers' following four matches take in three of the leading five as well as Crystal Palace, who have conceded only nine strikes in the Premier League to date. Trouble awaits for the club that have built a reputation for mid-table stability.

Fulham against Sunderland, Saturday afternoon 3:00 PM

The moment for Isak to deliver for the Merseyside club

The dispute regarding Virgil van Dijk's chalked-off effort against Manchester City could not hide Liverpool's shortcomings in that game as they fell to a seventh defeat over ten fixtures. The manager's side need a consistent improvement to force their way into the title race from this position, as well as a dramatic improvement in form, and a chance arises with seven out of their following ten Premier League matches facing sides at the moment in the bottom half in the standings. The risk is clear posed by Nottingham Forest, the only team to hand a home league defeat on the champions in the last term, however it's not just Liverpool's display versus direct play and fast breaks that will be under the spotlight. The moment has come that Alexander Isak to show up wearing red. The £125m striker has not featured in domestic action over four weeks following a groin problem while his second appearance in the lineup in quick succession in continental competition triumph at Eintracht Frankfurt. Isak returned as a substitute in Sweden's reverse to Switzerland but was rested the subsequent dead rubber against Slovenia to ensure his fitness for the upcoming World Cup knockout rounds. A booking in that match might have suspended him. Isak may be short of|lacking|deficient