Premier division: ten key points to keep an eye on this round of fixtures

Garnacho versus Walker poised for a fresh clash

A Mancunian rematch could be in the offing as Burnley's Kyle Walker confronts the Blues' Alejandro Garnacho at Turf Moor. The attacker is adapting well with Chelsea following his close-season transfer from Old Trafford and showcased his abilities versus Wolverhampton prior to the international break. His assist for Pedro Neto blended rapid acceleration with a perfect grounded ball. His build-up for Malo Gusto required cutting inside before dinking a delivery toward the far post. His celebration with Neto, mirroring his earlier embrace with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, served as a indication of the speed at which things transform. The last time Garnacho took on Walker? During the youngster found the net for United in their cup final win against Manchester City.

Burnley against Chelsea, Saturday afternoon 12.30pm (start times GMT)

2. Semenyo crucial to halting Cherries' decline

Antoine Semenyo is receiving the full rumour-mill treatment amid a reported £65m buyout clause for a possible January departure, the media positioning him for advancement from the Premier League's mid-table ranks. This is predictable for a wide player who has a half-dozen strikes plus three setups and is delightful to watch. However, Bournemouth find themselves in an difficult spot, having engaged in a form flip: now it's the bottom-half team West Ham who arrive with consecutive triumphs, while Bournemouth have been beaten 7-1 combined over their past two fixtures following an impressive opening to the campaign. Semenyo saw his attempt stopped on the penalty by Emi Martínez during the heavy loss by Aston Villa however taking on a defensive unit lacking a clean sheet since August might be the perfect remedy.

Bournemouth vs West Ham, Saturday three o'clock

The striker an outside option for the national team

It was intriguing to listen to Thomas Tuchel name-drop Danny Welbeck on more than one occasion throughout the national team window although the Brighton attacker reaches 35 in the coming days. “Despite not knowing him, I know what he can give me,” commented the England boss. “He could serve as a stand-in for Harry [Kane] playing a quite traditional centre-forward position.” Having won the final 42 caps several years ago, it's entirely possible that Welbeck could be in the squad to the World Cup provided he manages to continue his goalscoring performances. Once of Manchester United and Arsenal forward boasts more goals than any other English player in the Premier League this campaign on six and remains anxious to add to that tally as Brighton host Brentford in Saturday's match.

Brighton against Brentford, Saturday 3pm

Ryan Sessegnon needed as playmaker and finisher

The Ryan Sessegnon tale has provided some comfort to Fulham's uneven opening. The former Tottenham man, who came back to his boyhood club recently after five tough years with Spurs, is now a regular starter, driving down the left side in the absence of the sidelined Antonee Robinson. The issue? With two goals, he's also their joint-top scorer in the Premier League alongside Harry Wilson. The Mexican striker, their primary attacker last season, has netted one goal whereas Rodrigo Muniz is unavailable until 2026 owing to hamstring surgery. Sessegnon must also being required to contribute in a creative role instead of Robinson, who provided ten helpers in the previous campaign. The Cottagers' upcoming four fixtures include three of the leading five and Crystal Palace, who have conceded merely nine goals in the league this season. A threat emerges for a team that have earned a reputation for consistency in the middle.

Fulham versus Sunderland, Saturday 3:00 PM

The moment for Isak to perform for Liverpool

The dispute regarding Virgil van Dijk's chalked-off effort against Manchester City failed to mask Liverpool's deficiencies in that game as they lost to their seventh loss over ten fixtures. The manager's squad must have a consistent improvement to enter the league contest from their current spot, as well as a major boost in performance, and opportunity presents itself with seven out of their upcoming ten league games against clubs presently in the bottom half in the league. The risk is obvious from Nottingham Forest, the sole side to inflict a home league defeat on the champions last season, but it is not only Liverpool's performance against direct play and counterattacks that is under scrutiny. Now is the occasion for Alexander Isak to deliver in a Liverpool shirt. The big-money forward has not featured at club level over four weeks having sustained a muscle issue while his second start in four days in continental competition triumph at Eintracht Frankfurt. The striker came back off the bench in the Swedish loss by Switzerland but sat out the midweek meaningless match with Slovenia to secure his readiness for the upcoming World Cup playoffs. A yellow card in that match might have ruled him out. Isak may be short of|lacking|deficient