LONDON — First-half goals from Olivier Giroud and Willian and a late strike from Ross Barkley earned Chelsea a 3-0 Premier League victory over struggling Watford on Saturday and a boost to their ambitions for Champions League football next season.

France striker Giroud hit the target in the 28th minute, after a brisk move between Barkley and Mason Mount, with a low left foot shot that bounced in off the post.

Christian Pulisic and Chelsea had been dynamite since the restart of the Premier League — three straight wins with the American being the Blues’ best player by far. The dream return came to a screeching halt in London with 17th-place West Ham punishing dreadful defending in a 3-2 Chelsea defeat. 

I’m not sure what looked worse to be honest, the Chelsea defense or the new uniforms.

Chelsea have unveiled their new home kit for next season pic.twitter.com/hwXeNHrU50

Christian Pulisic’s recent form for Chelsea has made USMNT fans finally feel something for the first time since that October 2017 night in Trinidad. Chelsea has played and won three games since the return of football, with the Pennsylvania native earning all three “Man of the Match” awards.

USMNT defender Matt Miazga is unable to stray away from controversy. Notable Miazga moments include the American being fined for grabbing another player’s groin and the time he made fun of Diego Lainez’s height during a friendly. The latest Miazga incident is getting suspended for Reading’s next three matches after throwing punches against Derby County.

Chelsea advanced to the semifinals of the FA Cup with a 1-0 victory over Leicester City at the King Power Stadium on Sunday. The tightly contested match was settled by Ross Barkley’s finish in the 63rd minute off a delicious piece of service from Willian.

Leicester came roaring out the gates and overwhelmed Chelsea’s young midfield duo of Mason Mount and Billy Gilmour, forcing the 19-year-old Gilmour into mistake after mistake but failing to fashion anything to deeply trouble Willy Caballero.

BREMEN, Germany — Werder Bremen extended its 39-year stay in the Bundesliga for at least another 10 days on Saturday, when it thumped Cologne 6-1 to avoid automatic relegation, including a Josh Sargent goal to cap things off.

The four-times Bundesliga champions completed the first half of what could become a great escape as they climbed out of the drop zone and leapfrogged Fortuna Duesseldorf to finish 16th in the 18-team table.

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard praised Christian Pulisic as the American forward scored an equalizer five minutes after coming off the bench to help Chelsea earn a 2-1 comeback win at Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday.

Pulisic leveled on the hour after Kortney Hause had given Villa a 43rd minute lead and Frenchman Olivier Giroud netted the winner two minutes later, tightening Chelsea's grip on fourth place.