Revenge on mind as Ajax visit Chelsea
London, Nov. 4: Christian Pulisic had to be patient in the early months of his Chelsea career, but the United States captain and talisman now has the chance to make his mark on the Champions League after earning his place in a rapidly rising side. Pulisic scored his fourth goal in two Premier League games to secure a 2-1 win at Watford on Saturday, a week on from becoming the youngest Chelsea player ever to score a hat-trick in a 4-2 victory at Burnley. The fortnight that changed the course of the 21-year-old’s first season in England began in the Champions League against Ajax, when he came off the bench to set up Michy Batshuayi’s winner at the Johan Cruyff Arena and inflict a first defeat since May on the Dutch champions.
Prior to that Pulisic had been forced largely to wait on the sidelines at Chelsea since his switch to West London. Ajax travel to Stamford Bridge on Tuesday seeking revenge, but for the first time this season Pulisic is set to start in Europe’s top club competition with his impact in recent weeks impossible for Frank Lampard to ignore any longer.
“If he continues doing that sort of thing then the goals will rack up,” said Lampard after Pulisic followed up his hat-trick with a predatory goal from close range at Watford. “His general performance was top as well.”
Victory at Vicarage Road saw Chelsea equal a club record for seven straight away wins with Lampard earning plaudits for his ability to quickly turn the negativity of a summer transfer ban and the loss of Eden Hazard into a buoyant atmosphere at the Bridge.
Pulisic was the one big money arrival. Chelsea anticipated both the 12month ban on signing players and Hazard’s departure to Real Madrid by completing his signing for £58 million ($75 million) in January before being loaned back to Borussia Dortmund for the second half of last season.
However, that move left the Pennsylvanian in limbo in Germany with his time at Dortmund coming to an end and the rise of English wonder kid Jadon Sancho limiting his first team appearances.