Welcome back to the second season of the Premier League Ones to Watch column, a weekly piece that highlights the most notable performance of the previous matchday, as well as predicting a top performer for the weekend ahead. This column is made for West Coast fans in particular, as I help you decide which games you should wake up for by identifying the players who are worth the price of admission, so to speak.
This week may have been low scoring across the Premier League, but there were still some players who stood out from the rest. The strongest performance came from the only game where a team reached three goals, in which Antoine Semenyo played a role in all three goals for Bournemouth.
In the Cherries’ 3-1 victory over Fulham, Semenyo scored twice in the 78th and 96th minutes, alongside an assist to Justin Kluivert in the 84th minute. Semenyo is now up to six goals and three assists in just seven games. His current form, following his impressive performances last season, could see him linked to a big-time move in the near future. For now, Bournemouth will continue to rely on Semenyo this season and challenge for a place in Europe.
Another performance of note came from Aston Villa’s Donyell Malen. The Dutchman scored in the 25th and 63rd minutes en route to a 2-1 home victory over Burnley. Malen’s performance helped Villa to their fourth consecutive win. With Villa’s season back on track, Malen will hope to capitalize on the opportunity to play for a team that can beat anyone.
The last performance worth mentioning is by an unexpected player. Manchester United — finally — came to play this week, and a large part of that showing was because of the calming presence of new goalkeeper Senne Lammens.
Lammens kept a clean sheet in his debut for the Red Devils, recording three crucial saves in their 2-0 victory over newly-promoted Sunderland. There has long been controversy in the goalkeeping position for United following questionable performances from Andre Onana and Altay Bayindir, but Lammens could be the answer after an impressive debut.
Looking ahead to next week, the prediction is… drumroll please…
Mohamed Salah. Again.
Despite a subpar performance against Chelsea, Salah & Co. play Manchester United at Anfield up next. Salah has scored 16 career goals against United, the most against any opponent for the long-time Premier League star. United have struggled over the last few months, and an away matchup at Liverpool in the biggest English rivalry does not bode well for them.
Crystal Palace striker Jean Phillipe Mateta is the next one to watch, a player that soccer fans don’t automatically think of when it comes to standout performances. Mateta scored 14 goals in the Premier League last season and was one of the most prolific scorers, but this year he has struggled with only two goals in seven appearances. A home match against Bournemouth is just the opportunity he needs to get back into form, especially following Crystal Palace’s first loss in 19 matches in all competitions. Mateta is due for a good outing to help get Palace back in the win column.
The last performer to keep an eye on is Brighton’s Carlos Baleba. Baleba is one of the league’s most unique players, a do-it-all midfielder who, when he’s on his game, can compete with anyone. Following big money links to Manchester United during the most recent transfer window, the expectations have risen for the Cameroonian. Despite lackluster performances to start the season, Baleba’s likely to produce a marquee game. A match against Champions League participant Newcastle United could be the fixture where Baleba plays to the opponent’s level..
Let’s not forget to take accountability for last week’s picks, though. Nick Woltemade proved to be a great pick, scoring a goal in Newcastle’s 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest. Viktor Gyokeres and Mohamed Salah failed to find the back of the net, however, and didn’t perform as expected.