Premier division: ten key points to look out for this weekend

Walker faces Garnacho poised for another encounter

A Mancunian rematch might be on the cards as Burnley's Kyle Walker confronts Chelsea's Alejandro Garnacho in Lancashire. The attacker has started to settle with Chelsea after his off-season signing from the Red Devils and demonstrated his abilities against Wolves prior to the fixture pause. His assist for Pedro Neto mixed blistering pace and a ideal low cross. His build-up for Malo Gusto entailed cutting inside prior to dinking a ball across the goalmouth. His joyous moment with Neto, mirroring his earlier hug with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, was a testament of the speed at which situations evolve. The previous occasion Garnacho encountered Walker? During the former netted for United in the FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.

Burnley versus Chelsea, Saturday half past twelve (all times GMT)

2. Semenyo crucial to stopping Cherries' slide

Antoine Semenyo is receiving the full gossip column treatment following a alleged £65m buyout clause for a prospective mid-season move, the media setting him up for promotion out of the Premier League's mid-table ranks. That is understandable from a wide player with a half-dozen strikes plus three setups who is pleasurable to watch. However, Bournemouth find themselves in an tricky position, having undergone a role reversal: now it's the bottom-half team West Ham who come in with back-to-back victories, while Bournemouth are down seven-one combined over their past two matches after an promising start to the campaign. Semenyo saw his attempt stopped on the penalty by Emi Martínez during the four-nil loss by Aston Villa but taking on a defence without a goalless game in the league since the start of the season may prove the best tonic.

Bournemouth vs West Ham, Saturday afternoon 3pm

3. Welbeck an outside option for England

It proved intriguing to listen to Thomas Tuchel reference Danny Welbeck repeatedly during the international break even though the Brighton striker turns 35 soon. “Despite not being familiar with him, I understand what he is able to offer me,” commented the England manager. “He might act as a back-up for Harry [Kane] as a quite conventional No 9 position.” Gaining the final 42 England games several years ago, there is every chance that Welbeck might be selected to the World Cup if he manages to sustain his scoring performances. The ex- Manchester United and Arsenal forward has additional strikes than any other English player in England's top division this season on six and remains eager to increase that tally when Brighton entertain Brentford in Saturday's match.

Brighton against Brentford, Saturday afternoon three o'clock

Ryan Sessegnon required as playmaker and finisher

The Ryan Sessegnon tale has offered some comfort to Fulham's uneven beginning. The left-sided player, who came back to his former side last year following five challenging years with Spurs, has become a consistent pick, pushing forward on the left side due to the injury of the sidelined Antonee Robinson. The concern? With two goals, he is their top goalscorer in the league alongside Harry Wilson. The Mexican striker, their primary attacker in the last term, has scored a single goal while Rodrigo Muniz is injured for an extended period owing to hamstring surgery. Sessegnon is also needing to deliver as an assist provider in place of Robinson, who supplied 10 assists in the previous campaign. Fulham's next four fixtures include three among the leading five plus Crystal Palace, who have let in only nine goals in the Premier League to date. Danger looms for the club that have developed a standing for solidity in the central positions.

Fulham against Sunderland, Saturday afternoon three o'clock

The moment for Isak to produce for Liverpool

The controversy regarding Virgil van Dijk's ruled-out strike against Manchester City could not hide Liverpool's inferiority during the match as they fell to a seventh defeat over ten fixtures. The coach's team require a consistent improvement to muscle into the title race from this position, plus a significant upturn in results, and a chance emerges with seven out of their upcoming ten top-flight fixtures facing clubs at the moment in the bottom ten of the table. The risk is clear posed by Nottingham Forest, the single club to deliver a loss at Anfield to the title holders in the last term, yet it isn't solely Liverpool's display versus direct play and quick transitions that is under the spotlight. The moment has come for Alexander Isak to deliver for Liverpool. The big-money forward has not played for his club over four weeks after picking up a muscle issue during his second consecutive start in four days in Europe win at Eintracht Frankfurt. Isak returned off the bench in Sweden's loss by Switzerland but missed the subsequent meaningless match with Slovenia to ensure his readiness for the World Cup qualifiers. A yellow card on Tuesday could have made him ineligible. He might be short of|lacking|deficient