Chelsea’s Christian Pulisic gives fitness update on international duty after Covid absence

Chelsea’s Christian Pulisic gives fitness update on international duty after Covid absence

Metro.co.uk - Sport·2021-09-08 00:01

Christian Pulisic was in action for USA on Sunday (Picture: Getty Images)

Christian Pulisic was back in action for USA on Sunday after missing the last two Chelsea games due to a positive Covid test result, and he said he ‘felt pretty good’ on his return.

The American played 82 minutes of Chelsea’s opening game of the season, but then had to miss the the win over Arsenal and draw with Liverpool as he went into self-isolation.

He was back on the field in Nashville, Tennessee on Sunday in a 1-1 draw with Canada in World Cup qualification, playing the full 90 minutes in a disappointing result for the States.

The 22-year-old said it was ‘good to be back’ after a tricky time out of the Chelsea side when he is looking to make an impression early in the season.

‘Obviously it was tough for me,’ Pulisic said of his isolation. ‘I wanted to be part of the team but I wasn’t 100 per cent ready.

‘We made the decision to play today [against Canada] and I felt pretty good. It’s good to be back with the team and I just want to be here to help in whatever way I can.’

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It has been an underwhelming start to World Cup qualification for America, with the draw against Canada following a goalless affair with El Salvador, leaving them fifth in the CONCACAF table after two games.

‘We were on the front foot for most of the game but Canada defended well,’ Pulisic explained.

‘It felt like we couldn’t break them down, we couldn’t go from side to side quickly enough and make them run. We just need to find different solutions and new ideas at times.

‘It’s not exactly where we want to be but we have a lot of games left to play. It’s not time to drop our heads. We have one more game in this window and we just have to keep going.’

He will hope to return to the Chelsea side when the Blues take on Aston Villa in the Premier League on Saturday evening.

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