HAVING A BALL (AT LAST)

Pulisic finally gets lift-off for his Chelsea career with a stunning hat-trick to sink Burnley - and that might just stop a notorious American from poking his big nose in

FRANK LAMPARD might just have played his Trump card at Chelsea.

The virtual disappearance of ‘Captain America’ Christian Pulisic at Chelsea had been met with such surprise Stateside that a tweet from the White House would not have come as a surprise.

The kid from Hershey, Pennsylvania, was massive news across the Pond following his mega-money switch to the Premier League yet he had hardly figured for the Blues before the trip to Turf Moor.

But Donald Trump and Co can now relax after Pulisic turned in a performance that virtually forces Chelsea boss Lampard to keep him in the side. The 21-year-old took full advantage of a surprise start with his first professional hattrick which gave Chelsea a seventh successive win.

There were suggestions Pulisic might be heading for the exit door after coming straight into the side then being left out after only one win in four at the start of the season. But the way he ripped into Burnley gives Lampard (right) a nice problem.

The winger cashed in on a Matt Lowton howler to give

Chelsea a 20th-minute lead and got a killer second right on the stroke of half-time.

When he flicked home a third with the back of his head shortly after the break it was game over, but Willian added a fourth just to see the job through.

Pulisic said: “It incredible, I can’t put it into words. It couldn’t have been a more perfect day for me.

“The manager f e e l s really believes in me and he’s told me that.

“This is hopefully just the start. It’s been frustrating but I didn’t come here expecting everything to be easy.

“I didn’t feel pressure from back home at all. I know who I need to worry about at home and that is my family and my closest friends. I have their support and that is what matters to me.” Lampard is happy with the problem of another young player staking his claim for a place in the starting line-up and isn’t surprised at the fuss in the States over Pulisic. “He’s a star over there so you do get asked about it,” he said. “I’m just delighted that he’s delivered. To see him come in and impact the game like he did lifts everybody around him.

“Selection problems for me are difficult all the time but that’s great.”

In fairness to Burnley, they never gave in and hit back with stunning late strikes from Jay Rodriguez and the impressive Dwight Mcneil.

How different it could have been had striker Ashley Barnes not missed a simple headed opportunity from just a yard out to give Burnley a 30thminute equaliser.