This archive report was first published on 4 November 2019.
On November 4, 2019, Christian Pulisic's Chelsea career was at a crossroads. The 21-year-old American had been patient in the early months, but his form was about to change the course of his first season in England.
Just a week after becoming the youngest Chelsea player to score a hat-trick in a 4-2 victory at Burnley, Pulisic scored his fourth goal in two Premier League games to secure a 2-1 win at Watford on Saturday.
His impact in recent weeks was impossible for Frank Lampard to ignore any longer, and Pulisic is set to start in Europe's top club competition for the first time this season when Ajax travel to Stamford Bridge on Tuesday.
"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.
Chelsea had anticipated both the 12-month ban on signing players and Hazard's departure to Real Madrid by completing Pulisic's signing for £58 million ($75 million) in January before loaning him back to Borussia Dortmund for the second half of last season.
