1 Garnacho and Walker Set for Another Showdown A duel of sorts is anticipated between Manchester players in the Burnley versus Chelsea match, where Burnley’s Kyle Walker is likely to face Chelsea’s left winger, Alejandro Garnacho, at Turf Moor. The Argentine has settled in at Stamford Bridge since his summer move from Manchester United, showcasing his toolkit in the Wolves match before the international break. His pass to Pedro Neto combined breathtaking speed with laser precision. He then shifted onto his right foot to float a cross to the far post for Malo Gusto. His celebration with Neto, mirroring the ‘sitting hug’ with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, served as a reminder of how quickly things change in football. When did Garnacho last face Walker? When the winger scored in United’s FA Cup final victory over Manchester City. Taha Hashim Burnley vs Chelsea, Saturday 12:30 (GMT) 2 Seméno is the Key to the Cherries’ Survival There is much speculation surrounding Antoine Semenyo, particularly due to a possible £65 million buy-out clause that could be activated as early as January, with tabloids predicting his exit from the Premier League middle ground. This is quite predictable for a winger who is a pleasure to watch, with six goals and three assists. However, his team finds itself in a difficult position after a ‘body swap’: West Ham, with two consecutive wins, has joined the relegation scrap, while Bournemouth, after an impressive start, has suffered crushing 7-1 defeats in their last two outings. Semenyo missed a penalty in the 0-4 loss to Emiliano Martínez’s Aston Villa, but returning to action without a clean sheet since August could be the perfect incentive for him. Y Bournemouth vs West Ham, Saturday 15:00 3 Welbeck is England’s Left Flank Trump Card It was interesting to hear Thomas Tuchel repeatedly mention Danny Welbeck during the international break, despite the Brighton forward turning 35 next week. “Even without knowing him personally, I understand what he can bring to the team. Do I really need to see it in November?” the England manager was quoted as saying. “He can be a replacement for Harry [Kane] as a classic No. 9.” Having played his last (out of 42) international match in 2018, Welbeck has every chance of making the Euros if he continues scoring. The former Manchester United and Arsenal striker leads all English players in the Premier League for goals this season with six, and he intends to add to that tally when Brighton host Brentford on Saturday. Ed Aarons Brighton vs Brentford, Saturday 15:00 4 Sessegnon Needs to Be Both Playmaker and Goalscorer Ryan Sessegnon’s story has brought a little warmth to Fulham’s rocky start to the season. Having returned to his boyhood club in 2024 after five difficult years at Tottenham, the 25-year-old has cemented a starting spot on the left flank in the absence of the injured Antonee Robinson. What’s the difficulty? With two goals, he is the team’s joint-top scorer in the league, alongside Harry Wilson. Raúl Jiménez, a key player last season, has only scored once, and Rodrigo Muniz is out until 2026 following hamstring surgery. Sessegnon is also forced to take on a playmaker role in place of Robinson, who managed 10 assists in the last match. Fulham face four matches ahead, including three against top-five sides, as well as Crystal Palace, who have conceded only nine league goals this season. Danger looms over the team that has built a reputation as a solid mid-table performer. Y Fulham vs Sunderland, Saturday 15:00 Ryan Sessegnon of Fulham scores the team’s first goal against Wolves View image in full screen Ryan Sessegnon, who scored against Wolves. He is one of Fulham’s top scorers with two goals. Photo: Dan Istitene/Getty Images 5 Time for Isak to Ignite for Liverpool The controversy of Virgil van Dijk’s disallowed goal against Manchester City could not hide Liverpool’s overall imperfection on the day, resulting in their seventh defeat in ten games. Arne Slot’s team needs a stable recovery and a significant improvement in form to get back into the title race, and they have a chance in seven of their next ten league matches against teams in the bottom half of the table. The threat comes from Nottingham Forest – the only team to beat the champions at home in the league last season – but the focus will not only be on Liverpool’s game against long balls and counterattacks. It is time for Alexander Isak to step up in a Liverpool shirt too. The £125 million striker has not played at club level for a month following the groin injury sustained in his second start in four days during the Champions League win against Eintracht Frankfurt. Isak came on as a substitute in Sweden’s loss to Switzerland but missed the friendly against Slovenia on Tuesday to be ready for next year’s World Cup play-offs. A booking on Tuesday would have ruled him out of the game. Isak may lack match sharpness, but Slot needs productive football from the 26-year-old. Andy Hunter Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest, Saturday 15:00 6 Edwards Needs a Quick Result at Wolves Rob Edwards finds himself in a precarious situation at Wolves – the last club without a win in seven top-flight English matches. If the new head coach is to keep the team in the Premier League, the former defender needs to tighten up the defence – the most vulnerable in the division. Wolves have conceded 15 goals in their last five games in all competitions and have failed to keep a clean sheet in the league since April. Yerson Mosquera remained an unused substitute in the loss to Chelsea in the previous game but was among those training with the squad during the international break. David Møller Dæhli, who, along with teammate Jørgen Strand Larsen, helped Norway qualify for the World Cup, also sees little pitch time: the left-back and Mosquera have only made two league starts each this season. Edwards hopes for success in the match against Crystal Palace. Ben Fisher Wolves vs Crystal Palace, Saturday 15:00 7 Newcastle Still Feeling Wissa’s Absence Eddie Howe consistently admires Pep Guardiola, but the Manchester City manager is one of the last people he would want to meet on a Saturday evening. With Newcastle heading into the weekend in 14th place and a resurgent City arriving second at St James’ Park, this is not the ideal preparation for Howe’s team ahead of their Champions League away fixture against Marseille on Tuesday. Although Newcastle have been impressive in Europe recently, their gruelling and intense style of play seems ill-suited for two high-stakes matches a week. The fact that Yoane Wissa has not scored a goal for Howe’s team since his £55 million move from Brentford on the final day of the summer transfer window does not add to the optimism. The knee injury Wissa picked up playing for DR Congo in early September has almost healed, but he will miss the City match again, leaving £69 million forward Nick Voltemade to spearhead the attack. While Voltemade is very talented, he profile better as a ‘number 10’ than a ‘number 9’ and lacks Wissa’s ability to stretch and break through defences. Until both players starting with ‘W’ can link up, Newcastle’s league problems may continue. Louisa Taylor Newcastle vs Manchester City, Saturday 17:30 Nick Voltemade of Newcastle United battles for the ball with Aitor Paredes of Athletic Club View image in full screen Pictured is Nick Voltemade holding off Aitor Paredes of Athletic Bilbao. He currently fits the ‘number ten’ role better than the required ‘number nine’ at Newcastle better. Photo: Allstar Picture Library Ltd/Ed Sykes/APL/Sportsphoto 8 Farke Risks Increased Pressure Daniel Farke and Unai Emery will meet for the first time when Aston Villa visit Elland Road for a match that could significantly impact Farke’s future at Leeds. Although the German claims that “nobody is panicking,” his team has lost four of their last five league matches and sits in 16th place, just a point above the relegation zone. Eleven points from 11 games is not a disaster for a newly promoted team, but December promises to be a potentially dangerous month in West Yorkshire: Chelsea and Liverpool will visit Elland Road. Leeds also face a tough trip to Manchester City before the end of November. If they drop points, Farke understands that his position, perhaps unfairly, will come under serious scrutiny. How can a “toothless” Leeds replicate their last win against Villa – a 3-0 at Villa Park in October 2020? Patrick Bamford scored a hat-trick back then, but due to the injuries that have plagued his career since, the former Leeds number 9 is now on a short-term contract with Sheffield United, and Farke is struggling to find a cutting-edge, elite replacement.
9 Both capital teams are experiencing disappointment due to injuries The first meeting between Arsenal and Tottenham this season promises to be exciting: Spurs travel to the Emirates with the best away record in the Premier League, while the Gunners have won all but one of their home games. However, despite the muscle injury sustained by Gabriel Magalhães, who played for the national team, Mikel Arteta will have to cover a significant gap in the center of defense. Furthermore, the fitness of a number of key attacking players is in doubt, including the £64 million-rated striker, Victor Gyökeres. His Tottenham counterpart, Thomas Frank, could be without as many as ten players on Sunday due to a growing epidemic of ailments. Both clubs are feeling the effects of a demanding schedule that forces them to play twice a week due to their participation in the Champions League. But since the next international break is not until March, the coming weeks will be extremely packed with games. Arsenal is very hopeful that their captain, Martin Ødegaard, will be able to take the field against Tottenham, which is crucial for maintaining their lead over their pursuers during this period. EA Arsenal – Tottenham, Sunday, 16:30 Victor Gyökeres tries to control a bouncing ball View full screen Victor Gyökeres’ participation in the North London derby remains in doubt. Photo: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian 10 Amad has become an important link in United’s ongoing rise Amad Diallo has played a significant role in Manchester United’s five-game unbeaten run: he scored an impressive equalizer against Nottingham Forest, provided a perfect assist for Tottenham, and in a third instance, contributed to an own goal by Bryan Mbeumo. But it remains unclear what position suits the Ivorian best. In the game against Tottenham, he moved from the right flank of the attack to a right “number 10” position and remained active, although this led to Mbeumo being shifted to the left wing. Benjamin Šeško’s knee injury allows Rúben Amorim to deploy him again against Everton, and Matheus Cunha will continue to operate as the center forward. Whatever the formation, Amorim will have to maximize the potential of Amad and Mbeumo before they depart for the Africa Cup of Nations next month.
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