Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher believes Christian Pulisic will never get to the same level as Eden Hazard at Chelsea.
The United States international has endured an injury-hit campaign and has struggled to secure a regular role since Thomas Tuchel took over from Frank Lampard in January.
But Pulisic was handed a starting spot for the first leg of Chelsea’s Champions League game against Real Madrid on Tuesday and the player put his team ahead in the first half with an superb individual effort.
Hazard, meanwhile, was Chelsea’s best player before he left Stamford Bridge to join Real Madrid in 2019.
And Carragher feels that Pulisic will fall short of being able to replicate Hazard’s outstanding performances on a regular basis for Chelsea.
‘I’m a big fan but I don’t think he’ll get to the level of Eden Hazard, apologies, he won’t,’ Carragher told CBS Sports.
‘Eden Hazard was the best player in the Premier League for four years and Belgian finished third in the World Cup [in 2018], he was the best player in the tournament – that is the level we are talking about with Hazard.
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‘This is not me knocking Pulisic, it might look that on social media after the show from certain people. But I think we forget how good Hazard was.
‘He was my favourite player in the Premier League and for Pulisic to get there and to light up a major tournament for the US will be difficult.
‘Yes, I think he can have a brilliant career and he has a lot of potential but I don’t see him getting to that level.’