English top flight: ten highlights to look out for this weekend

1. Garnacho and Walker poised for another battle

A Mancunian rematch may be in store as Burnley's Kyle Walker faces the Blues' Alejandro Garnacho at Turf Moor. The winger is finding his feet in west London following his close-season transfer from the Red Devils and showcased his skills versus Wolverhampton prior to the international break. His setup for Pedro Neto combined electric speed with a ideal along-the-deck delivery. His contribution for Malo Gusto involved moving onto his right before chipping a delivery across the goalmouth. His goal reaction with Neto, echoing his earlier celebration with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, served as a reminder of the speed at which things transform. The last time Garnacho took on Walker? During the former netted for United during their Wembley triumph against Manchester City.

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

2. Semenyo key to stopping Bournemouth's decline

Antoine Semenyo is attracting the full rumour-mill focus following a claimed £65m escape clause for a prospective winter exit, the media preparing him for advancement out of the Premier League's mid-table ranks. That is predictable from a winger with a half-dozen strikes plus three assists and remains pleasurable to watch. Still, Bournemouth are in an awkward position, having undergone a body swap: it is the relegation battlers West Ham who enter with consecutive triumphs, whereas Bournemouth are down seven to one combined in their previous two fixtures after an impressive beginning to the season. Semenyo was denied from the spot by Emi Martínez in their four-nil loss to Aston Villa but facing a backline that hasn't kept a goalless game for months might be the ideal tonic.

Bournemouth against West Ham, Saturday afternoon 3:00 PM

3. Welbeck a left-field shout for the Three Lions

It was intriguing to listen to Thomas Tuchel mention Danny Welbeck multiple times throughout the fixture pause despite the fact that the Brighton striker reaches 35 in the coming days. “Without even having met him, I am aware what he could offer me,” commented the England coach. “He could serve as a stand-in for Harry [Kane] in a very traditional centre-forward position.” Having won the most recent of his 42 international appearances several years ago, there is every chance that Welbeck may be selected to the World Cup assuming he can sustain his goal-getting performances. The former Manchester United and Arsenal striker can claim additional strikes than any other English footballer in the Premier League this campaign having six and will be anxious to boost that total as Brighton host Brentford on Saturday.

Brighton vs Brentford, Saturday 3pm

The full-back required as assist provider and goalscorer

The narrative around Ryan Sessegnon has brought some warmth to Fulham's inconsistent start. The 25-year-old, who came back to his boyhood club in 2024 after five tough years at Tottenham, is now a first-team fixture, driving down the left flank due to the injury of the injured Antonee Robinson. The issue? Having scored twice, he's also their leading marksman in the league together with Harry Wilson. Their main striker, their top scorer the previous campaign, has scored one goal while Rodrigo Muniz is out for an extended period because of a surgical procedure. Sessegnon is also being required to contribute as a creator in place of Robinson, who provided ten setups last time round. Fulham's upcoming four games feature three among the leading five plus Crystal Palace, who have let in only nine strikes in the league so far. Trouble awaits for the club that have built a name for consistency in the middle.

Fulham versus Sunderland, Saturday afternoon 3pm

5. Time for Alexander Isak to perform for Liverpool

The debate regarding Virgil van Dijk's disallowed goal versus Manchester City could not hide Liverpool's shortcomings in that game as they fell to their seventh loss over ten fixtures. The coach's squad must have a sustained recovery to force their way into the league contest from their current spot, plus a significant upturn in results, and opportunity arises as seven out of their next 10 Premier League matches facing teams currently in the bottom ten in the league. The danger is obvious posed by Nottingham Forest, the sole side to inflict a loss at Anfield to the title holders last season, but it is not only Liverpool's display versus aerial passes and fast breaks that will be in focus. It is time that Alexander Isak to perform for Liverpool. The £125m striker has not featured at club level in a month having sustained a muscle issue while his second start in quick succession in continental competition win in Germany. Isak returned off the bench in the Swedish reverse against Switzerland but was rested Tuesday's inconsequential game with Slovenia to guarantee his fitness for the World Cup knockout rounds. A booking during the game would have made him ineligible. The striker could be short of|lacking|deficient