Pulisic scores 'perfect' hat-trick for 1st Premier League goals

Christian Pulisic is on the board in the Premier League. And he made his mark in emphatic fashion.

Pulisic, who was heavily critiqued early in his Chelsea career, scored a hat-trick against Burnley on Saturday to record his first goals for the Blues since his big-money move from Borussia Dortmund.

The Hershey, Pennsylvania, native became just the second U.S. player to accomplish the feat, joining Clint Dempsey, who found the net three times for Fulham in 2012.

The 21-year-old's first-career treble powered the Blues to a 4-2 win at Turf Moor.

Pulisic will also revel in the nature of the goals; by converting with his left foot, right foot, and head, he notched the rare "perfect" hat-trick.

His first tally, a low left-footed effort that found its way through a forest of legs, made Pulisic the first U.S. player ever to score for Chelsea. He's the second-youngest American to find the net in England's top flight, as Jozy Altidore set the benchmark as a 20-year-old when he was a member of Hull City.

Pulisic, who's in the midst of his first season with the west London club after a £58-million transfer from Dortmund, added to his haul on the stroke of halftime. After another penetrative run into the area, his right-footed shot nicked off a defender and nestled into the net.

He completed his treble by nodding home a cross in the 56th minute.

"It's incredible, I can't believe it! The goals were amazing today," Pulisic said after the match. "I had to prove myself and I'm happy I could go out and help the team."

After finding himself either on the bench or out of the squad entirely early in the campaign, Pulisic, who was making his first league start since August, seems to finally be winning over Frank Lampard.