The American winger entered the new season hoping to put a difficult World Cup and injury spell behind him, but his wait for competitive minutes and a goal has continued far longer than anyone expected. Christian Pulisic’s return to action has become one of the biggest talking points surrounding Milan ahead of its trip to Rome. The American winger entered the new season hoping to put a difficult World Cup and injury spell behind him, but his wait for competitive minutes and a goal has continued far longer than anyone expected. Pulisic has been included in Ruben Amorim’s matchday squads for Milan’s first three Serie A games, yet he has remained an unused substitute in each. The 27-year-old has been dealing with the effects of injuries suffered during the 2026 World Cup, where he managed only 224 minutes across four appearances. The 27-year-old suffered a bone bruise and microfracture around his right tibia and fibula during the World Cup, while previous injury problems also caused discomfort throughout the tournament. Those issues followed him back to Milan and have prevented him from completing a full preseason under Amorim. The situation became particularly frustrating after the Rossoneri’s 1-1 draw with Juventus. Pulisic was once again named among the substitutes but never entered the game, while 19-year-old Alphadjo Cisse continued to occupy his attacking role. Amorim has repeatedly indicated that the decision is connected to Pulisic’s physical condition rather than a lack of belief in his ability. After the Juventus match, the Milan coach explained that he was carefully managing several players as they worked their way back to full fitness. “Pulisic is back from injury. I’m managing him. For now, Alpha is taking his place,” Amorim said. Will Pulisic play against Lazio? The latest indications from Milan News suggest Pulisic will again start on the bench against Lazio on Saturday, with Cisse expected to retain his place in the starting XI. That would leave Pulisic waiting for his first Serie A appearance of the season, although there is optimism that he could finally receive some playing time at the Stadio Olimpico. By the time Milan faces Lazio, almost a month will have passed since Pulisic returned to group training. The expectation is that the American is still not fit enough to start, but he could be introduced during the match if his condition allows. Cisse has given Amorim a reliable alternative in the meantime, scoring against both Torino and Juventus to strengthen his case. Christian Pulisic of AC Milan warms up before the Serie A match. The numbers behind Pulisic’s drought Pulisic’s absence has also made his scoring drought increasingly difficult to ignore. According to Corriere dello Sport, 255 days have passed since Pulisic last scored, while 109 days have passed since his last appearance for Milan. His last goal in the Red and Blacks’ kit came before the turn of the year, when he was one of the club’s most influential attacking players. Those numbers represent a dramatic change from the player Milan supporters saw earlier in his Rossoneri career. Pulisic had scored important goals, decided a derby and even helped Milan fight back against Torino despite reportedly playing while carrying a fever. Now, under a new coach and in a new system, the American is still waiting for his opportunity to rediscover that form.
Former Chelsea and Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino (Picture: Sky Sports) Mauricio Pochettino believes Mikel Arteta is the best coach in the Premier League as he named his title favourites for this season. Arteta has transformed Arsenal’s fortunes since he was appointed as Unai Emery’s replacement in December 2019. The Spaniard led the Gunners to three successive runners-up finishes in the league before finally getting over the line last season to win the club’s first title in 22 years. The defending champions strengthened in several areas over the summer and have made a perfect start to the new season, with five straight wins in all competitions. Sign up for In The Mixer, Metro's football newsletter Get exclusive analysis and previews of the biggest games every Friday. Sign up now for free. And Pochettino, who previously managed Tottenham and Chelsea, believes that Arteta’s prowess makes Arsenal the ‘team to beat’ this season. ‘Arsenal are the most consistent team and for me Mikel [Arteta] is the best coach in the Premier League today,’ he told Sky Sports. ‘Knowing what he needs to do, it’s going to be tough to beat them.’ Pochettino was full of praise for Mikel Arteta (Picture: Getty) One of Pochettino’s former teams, Chelsea, have also made a positive start to the season under new boss Xabi Alonso. The Blues suffered their first competitive loss under Alonso last weekend against Arsenal, but bounced back in midweek with an entertaining 6-3 win over Leeds United in the Carabao Cup. Mikel Arteta’s side have made a good start to their title defence (Picture: Getty) And Pochettino is confident that Chelsea’s change in transfer approach this summer can make them league title contenders alongside Arsenal this season. ‘Chelsea are buying players like Rogers, Joao Pedro, Pedro Neto in the past, players in this way that you can expect to fight and be a contender for the Premier League,’ he added. ‘Of course they are disappointed after the defeat against Arsenal, but I think we need to give time to Xabi’s first season after three games in the Premier League.’ Pochettino was also not shy about his desire to one day return to the Premier League, insisting: ‘I have the ambition. My dream now is to be in the USA for four years, but after that, why not? ‘We are still young, and I think coming back is always my goal; to win the Premier League, to be in the Premier League and to build a project with the possibility of winning. ‘I love the football here. I think to have the chance again is one of my wishes and I hope that happens.’ For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
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