Chelsea hammered QPR 7-1 in a friendly at Stamford Bridge, as USMNT star Christian Pulisic featured for the Premier League side.
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The west London club beat Reading 1-0 earlier this week in a game at their Cobham training ground and they followed that up with a resounding victory against another Championship opponent.
Billy Gilmour and Ruben Loftus-Cheek each scored twice, while Willian, Mason Mount and Olivier Giroud were all on the scoresheet.
Feels good to be back playing at the Bridge! 💙 pic.twitter.com/Op6NKehgyu
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) June 14, 2020
Christian Pulisic and N’Golo Kante featured, as the USMNT star continues to step up his recovery after last playing for Chelsea on Jan. 1 at Brighton. An adductor injury in training meant he was out for several months and he was due to return in mid-March before the Premier League was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Pulisic has featured in both friendlies this week and Frank Lampard certainly has a wealth of attacking options now that Loftus-Cheek has also returned from a long-term injury. Chelsea currently sit in fourth but are just three points ahead of Man United in fifth and may only be two points ahead of Sheffield United by the time they restart their 2019-20 season.
The suspension came at a good time for the Blues as Pulisic, Tammy Abraham and several others were nursing injuries and not fully fit as Lampard’s young squad looked jaded with many in their first full season in the Premier League.
Even better news for Chelsea was N’Golo Kante taking part in a friendly for the first time since the league was suspended on March 13. The French star was concerned about a return to training amid the coronavirus pandemic and was granted compassionate leave by Chelsea and Frank Lampard.
Kante has since returned to training and is now stepping up his progress as he aims to be ready to feature against Aston Villa next Sunday (Watch live, 11:15 a.m. ET on NBCSN and online via NBCSports.com).