USMNT are set to start life without Gregg Berhalter as the side looks to continue on strongly in the CONCACAF Nations League on Saturday morning against Grenada. The team is currently being managed by Anthony Hudson with no indication yet who the next full-time appointment will be.
For the team's biggest star it is a chance to prove a point again, though. Christian Pulisic has struggled to stay fit for Chelsea this term and has only started two games in 2023, missing over eight weeks of action with injury. He only returned to the matchday squad a fortnight ago.
In the absence of new captain Tyler Adams, the leadership of the national side may well be thrust back upon Pulisic with the Leeds ace missing out due to injury. Adams led his country to a respectable last-16 finish at the World Cup in Qatar having only been announced as the skipper days before the tournament. It has since been revealed that the decision was made via a vote from the squad.
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There is plenty of uncertainty heading into this game though with it being the first for the main group since the loss to Netherlands in December. There were two low-key matches played in January with a second-string XI and that was also without Berhalter in charge after his contract ran out at the end of 2022.
There is a need to perform immediately here, though, with a place in the Nations League knockout stages still at risk. For this reason it would be reasonable to expect Hudson to go with a strong team including Pulisic despite his lack of gametime at domestic level.
USA are second in their group currently with El Salvador top having played a game more. They face the North American side Tuesday and know that qualification is still at stake. A draw or win would not only send them back to the top of Group D of League A but it would also secure CONCACAF Gold Cup status for the summer.
There is also a boost heading into the game for Hudson and the fans with Pulisic building up his minutes for Chelsea. He played over an hour against Leicester on Saturday having come off the bench in the two previous games since his return as well. There had been talks of the winger leaving Stamford Bridge in January with interest from Manchester United, Newcastle and previous from AC Milan and Juventus.
Potter rubbished these though, explaining: "No chance [of Pulisic leaving], no. There was never any consideration of anything about that. Meanwhile the player himself has also spoken out on his future, saying, "Right now I’m absolutely back at Chelsea, focused and ready to finish the season.
"But you know how things work in football. Things change quickly and anything can happen. At the moment, I am just pushing myself in training and working at Chelsea, because that’s where I am right now.
Pulisic has previously questioned where he is deployed under Potter too, saying earlier this season: "“It’s hard [playing at wingback]. It’s hard when you don’t get to find a rhythm. That’s obviously where I want to be, playing consistently, and I have to earn my position there for sure. It’s tough to be in that position sometimes but it’s just about being ready and giving it everything when I do get the chance.
“Ideally you want to be playing regularly in your best position but any time you can be on the field is a positive. That’s absolutely where I want to be.”
There should be no such problem for his country though and Grenada offer up a chance for the attacker to find his goalscoring form once more.
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