Christian Pulisic says Chelsea boss Frank Lampard has told him he must improve in training if he is to win back a place in the starting XI and the American is confident he will rise to the challenge.
After starting in the thumping midweek Carabao Cup victory over Grimsby Town, Pulisic was again an unused substitute against Brighton on Saturday – the third straight time that has happened in the Premier League.
Chelsea comfortably won 2-0 but Pulisic admitted he was ‘frustrated’ afterwards, though he has at least been given some encouragement from Lampard that he can get back in the team.
Asked if he had been given feedback from Lampard about winning back his place, Pulisic told Pro Soccer Talk: ‘Not so much. He said to keep working and I have to improve myself in training and try to get back in the line-up.’
Pulisic experienced a similar situation at Borussia Dortmund when Jadon Sancho first broke onto the scene, taking his place in the side, and believes he can draw on that experience.
He continued: ‘In the end I got minutes again and I played well towards the end of the season, so I just have to get my head down and get to work.
‘It is not going to be easy here, but it was never going to be easy.’
On his time at Chelsea so far, he added: ‘The city is great, I’ve enjoyed it. It has been good but it has been a change. There are going to be challenges.
‘I knew it was going to be tough coming here. It is never going to be easy. I’ve got to grind out. I want to be back and be a part of the team and help the team win games.
‘I want to play as many minutes as I can, that is really my goal, I want to be on the field… It is tough for me right now. I just have to continue to learn. Like I said, I want to be on the field really bad, I have to continue to work and prove myself to be there.’
