Frank Lampard says Christian Pulisic is โin strong contentionโ for a start at Burnley after a pair of game-changing sub performances for Chelsea (Watch Live at 12:30 p.m. ET Saturday on NBC and online via NBCSports.com).
American star Pulisic stole the ball that led to Chelseaโs winner last weekend versus Newcastle, and assisted Michy Batshuayiโs decisive goal in the Champions League at Ajax.
Now to Turf Moor, where the bruises are as plentiful as the possession. Will Pulisic get into the XI?
โThe way heโs played he deserves a starting place regularly in the last few weeks but so do others and thatโs what I keep saying, itโs a nice problem that I have,โ Lampard said. โItโs brilliant that heโs coming on and making the impact that heโs making and of course heโll get his starts. Itโs the reason heโs here.
โBut weโve got Callum Hudson-Odoi whoโs top class against Newcastle last week at home. In terms of creation, Willian I think I kinda declared him our best player in the great patch that we had over four or five games. They are good options for me and Christian is getting stronger and more in the groove, and you keep seeing it with players, some you have to give them a bit of time, the young players. But heโs playing well so heโs certainly in strong contention.โ
There could be a place for Michy Batshuayi or Reece James in the Starting XI as Lampard eyes rotation for the Bluesโ third match in just over a week.
The Blues have taken advantage of a promising run of fixtures to climb into the Top Four on 17 points, and that run continues with Burnley, Watford, and Crystal Palace. Cup fixtures with Manchester United and Ajax are mixed in, so Saturday may present a prime chance to start Pulisic in a PL match and use his favored vets at midweek.
Burnley, meanwhile, saw a four-match unbeaten run end at Leicester City. The scrappy top-half Clarets are 1W-2D-1L in their last four trips to Stamford Bridge.
Injuries/suspensions
Burnley: OUT โย Danny Drinkwater, Johann Berg Gudmundsson. QUESTIONABLE โ Chris Wood. PROBABLE โAshley Barnes, Jack Cork.
Chelsea: OUT โ Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Antonio Rudiger, NโGolo Kante, Ross Barkley, Andreas Christensen. QUESTIONABLE โ None.
Probable lineups
Burnley: Pope, Pieters, Mee, Tarkowski, Lowton, Brady, Westwood, Hendrick, McNeil, Wood, Barnes.
Chelsea: Arrizabalaga, Alonso, Tomori, Zouma, Azpilicueta, Jorginho, Kovacic, Hudson-Odoi, Mount, Pulisic, Batshuayi.
What theyโre saying
Sean Dyche on Lampardโs performance at Chelsea: โA lot is made of the young players and they are doing really well but there is some really good players around them. If you look at that squad on paper. It is not like he went into a group of novice hurdlers, but he is adding to that and adding his own way as to how he wants the team to perform. You could see the pressing lines and the energy and the sharpness.โ
Lampard on the Turf Moor challenge: โItโs a tough place to go. They have a strong way of playing, they are well drilled. They can give you big problems. It is a tough match. You have to respect the teams you play, it will be a physical battle.โ
Prediction
Another tough, contested, but ultimately victorious days for the in-form Blues. There will be a scare at some point, but Chelsea finds a 2-1 win at Turf Moor.
