Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel ‘worried’ by Christian Pulisic’s USA call-up

Pulisic has only just returned for Chelsea after an ankle injury

Pulisic has only just returned for Chelsea after an ankle injury (Chelsea FC via Getty Images)

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel is “worried” the USA will “overuse” Christian Pulisic in the international window.

The midfielder has been called up by his national side but only returned to training for his club at the end of October and started his first Premier League match on Saturday after an ankle injury had him on the sidelines for months.

Tuchel said: “I hope that they don’t overuse him and are responsible enough. Christian still feels some pain. It is a matter of pain management. It’s not a matter of a re-injury or being still injured. It’s just still painful. He has tried hard.

“He wants desperately to come back. We needed him back. It was a good start for him in Malmo. He had 10 minutes (against Burnley on Saturday). We are a bit worried.

“Hopefully everybody, including himself, is responsible and doesn’t get carried away by emotions and by helping his country to win a super important match. Hopefully it all goes well and the minutes will elevate him and he will come back stronger.”

Tuchel won’t want to add to his injury list as stars including Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner remain out.

The Blues were shocked by Burnley as the Clarets held them to a 1-1 draw. The result meant Manchester City were able to close the gap on Chelsea to just three points at the top of the table.

Tuchel added despite the result, Chelsea played well: “Burnley were very lucky to draw but that’s football. We were very lucky to escape with a clean sheet at Brentford. That’s why everybody loves the game.

“I stick with my feeling from the sideline and I have proof from all data that we did a fantastic match. I liked to be attitude. I liked the intensity. I liked the concentration level. These are what you need after seven wins in a row.

“So it was a fantastic effort and fantastic performance. I’m super happy. It can happen in football that sometimes, unfortunately like today, somebody else steals some points. Like I said, we have been lucky in Brentford to walk away with a clean sheet. Burnley are lucky today to get the result but it happens sometimes.”