The Chelsea first-team deployed by Frank Lampard on the pitch against Aston Villa last Saturday did not include Christian Pulisic. The American only came in during the second half of the game and the Blues were down, 0-1. Only five minutes in, the winger scored an equalizer and Lampard's side ended up winning the away match.
The win was the first for Chelsea after more than three months of being forced out of the field. Lampard said leaving Pulisic on the bench at the start of the match was a struggle for him since the USA international has to compete for a spot with Ross Barkley.
When called up, however, 10 minutes into the second half and the opponent seemed on the verge of scoring a win. Pulisic responded and delivered what was expected of him. It was because of sheer hunger, according to Lampard, adding that he can only characterize the 21-year-old Pennsylvania native as a "world-class player."
"He was hungry, I know that and I felt for him. He has trained well. The ability to arrive in the box is a big thing," Goal reported the Blues manager as saying.
The match at the Villa Park started to be an easy one for the Chelsea squad but Aston cleared the net before the first half had concluded and from that point, the Blues were made to sweat on the three points awarded for the win.
Pulisic reversed the momentum gained by Villa and to ensure the win, his teammate Olivier Giroud registered his goal that sealed the victory for Lampard, which came as his 100th game as a team manager.
The Chelsea was convinced Pulisic served as the game-changer for the Blues. The American forward brought fire immediately after marching in and his presence made an impact that altered the course of the match, fortunately in favor of his side.
Even more impressive was the fact that Pulisic came out of injury and the last time he played was last January. It was clear to Lampard that the American worked hard and decided to rise above the situation, unmindful of his health issues and the COVID-19 pandemic.
"He will start games for us, of course, and I think he's going to be a big player for us, not just in this run-in but going forward," Sky Sports reported Lampard as saying, the boss revealing what to expect next from Pulisic.
Now thanks to Pulisic and Giroud, the win by Chelsea earned the side three points that added up to the advantage over Manchester United. The Blues are now five points clear of the Red Devils and are tipped to finish the season in the Top 4 of the Premier League.
For Lampard and even for Pulisic, that would mean a ticket to the Champions League next season.
