Blues’ hats off to faith shown by Christian
SINCE he was 16, Christian Pulisic has lived with the pressure of great expectations.
So while the strain of being asked to replace Eden Hazard as Chelsea’s talisman would not have unduly fazed someone who was being touted as America’s first football superstar before he had even graduated High School, you can be sure he would have slept a lot better last night.
Pulisic scored a perfect hat-trick – left foot, right foot, header – as Frank Lampard’s side gave Burnley a bloody nose at home.
They were his first since his £58million arrival at Stamford Bridge just as Hazard was packing his bags for Real Madrid.
Brazilian midfelder Willian also got on the scoresheet as the visitors threatened to run riot before two late Burnley goals gave the Turf Moor fans something to shout about.
Lampard might be a relative novice to management.
But his decision to ease the kid who was born and bred in the chocolate capital of the US seems to be turning out pretty sweet.
Pulisic was barely shaving when he moved from the Pennsylvania town of Hershey to Borussia Dortmund.
He became the youngest non-German player to score in the Bundesliga and the youngest Dortmund player to score in the Champions League.
So it must have been strange for a player who has always been in a hurry to bide his time.
This was only Pulisic’s third Premier League start – and his first since being part of the team that allowed Sheffield United to come from two goals down for a point at Stamford Bridge eight weeks ago.
After setting up a late Champions League winner for Michy Batshuayi after coming on as a substitute at Ajax on Wednesday, this was his night to take centre stage.
It took him 20 minutes to make and take his first.
When the American dispossessed Matt Lowton just inside the Clarets’ half, he headed straight for goal. And when James Tarkowski arrived to engage the threat, Pulisic fooled the England defender with a stepover before sending a low shot fizzing past Nick Pope with his left foot.
Sean Dyche (above) must have feared the worst – and just before half-time, Pulisic scored.
Willian’s pass gave the winger the chance to get Ben Mee back-pedalling and he worked the ball on to his right before firing in a shot that beat Pope with the help of a deflection off the Burnley skipper.
Pulisic ensured he would be taking home the match ball in the 56th minute when he leaped to skilfully guide home Mason Mount’s cross from the left with the back of his head.