Premier division: ten key points to keep an eye on this matchday

Garnacho versus Walker ready for another encounter

Another northwest showdown might be in the offing as the Clarets' Kyle Walker lines up against Chelsea's Alejandro Garnacho in Lancashire. The winger is adapting well in west London after his summer move from Manchester United and displayed his talents against Wolves prior to the national team interval. His setup for Pedro Neto mixed electric speed with a perfect grounded ball. His build-up for Malo Gusto entailed cutting inside prior to lofting a delivery to the back post. His goal reaction with Neto, mirroring his previous celebration with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, acted as a indication of the pace with which situations evolve. The most recent instance Garnacho faced Walker? Back when the youngster netted for United in their FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.

Burnley versus Chelsea, Saturday 12.30pm (start times GMT)

2. Semenyo vital to halting Bournemouth's slump

Antoine Semenyo is getting the entire rumour-mill attention due to a reported £65m buyout clause for his potential January departure, the media positioning him for advancement from the Premier League's average tier. It is understandable for a winger who has a half-dozen strikes and three helpers who is pleasurable to watch. Still, his side find themselves in an tricky position, experiencing a body swap: it is the struggling side West Ham who arrive on consecutive triumphs, while Bournemouth are down 7-1 combined in their last two matches following an strong opening to the campaign. Semenyo had his effort saved on the penalty by Emi Martínez during the heavy loss by Aston Villa however facing a defence without a goalless game in the league since the start of the season could be the best remedy.

Bournemouth vs West Ham, Saturday 3pm

3. Welbeck an outside shout for the national team

It proved intriguing to listen to Thomas Tuchel reference Danny Welbeck repeatedly during the international break despite the fact that the Brighton striker turns 35 next week. “Without even knowing him, I understand what he can provide,” said the England coach. “He might act as a stand-in for Harry [Kane] in a quite conventional No 9 position.” Earning the last of his 42 England games in 2018, it's quite plausible that Welbeck might be on the plane for the World Cup assuming he is able to continue his goal-getting feats. The former Manchester United and Arsenal striker can claim additional strikes over every other English player in England's top division this season on six and remains anxious to add to that total when Brighton host Brentford on Saturday.

Brighton versus Brentford, Saturday three o'clock

The full-back crucial as playmaker and finisher

The Ryan Sessegnon tale has brought some positivity to Fulham's uneven opening. The left-sided player, who came back to his boyhood club recently following five challenging years at Tottenham, has become a first-team fixture, driving down the left side with the injured Antonee Robinson. The concern? On two goals, he remains their joint-top scorer in the league alongside Harry Wilson. Their main striker, their top scorer in the last term, has bagged a single goal while Rodrigo Muniz is unavailable for an extended period owing to hamstring surgery. Sessegnon must also being required to contribute as an assist provider replacing Robinson, who provided ten setups last time round. Fulham's following four games include three of the leading five as well as Crystal Palace, who have let in merely nine scores in the Premier League this season. Trouble awaits for a team that have earned a reputation for mid-table stability.

Fulham vs Sunderland, Saturday 3:00 PM

5. Time for Isak to produce for the Merseyside club

The dispute about Virgil van Dijk's disallowed goal against Manchester City failed to mask Liverpool's shortcomings in that game as they lost to their seventh loss in ten matches. The coach's side must have a consistent improvement to enter the championship chase from this position, plus a dramatic upturn in results, and opportunity arises with seven from their following ten Premier League matches against clubs currently in the lower half in the standings. The threat is evident from Nottingham Forest, the only team to deliver a defeat on their own turf to Liverpool in the last term, but it is not only Liverpool's showing when facing direct play and quick transitions that remains under scrutiny. It is time for Alexander Isak to perform in a Liverpool shirt. The £125m striker has not played at club level in a month following a groin problem while his second consecutive start over a short period in the Champions League win abroad. Isak returned from the bench in Sweden's reverse against Switzerland but missed the midweek dead rubber against Slovenia to secure his availability for the World Cup qualifiers. A booking during the game could have ruled him out. Isak may be short of|lacking|deficient