Americans Abroad: Christian Pulisic aims to extend dominance for Milan, Crystal Palace's Chris Richards to be tested by Liverpool

The goal tally stands out, but the underlying stats behind Pulisic's start to the club season are equally impressive.

He is taking 2.8 shots per game, 2.4 of which, on average, are on target - both categories are third in Serie A. Overall, he is putting 83 percent of his shots on target. It's unlikely those numbers will stay as is, and his xG of just 0.80 suggests he will regress to the mean.

But there are several other stats that suggest his world-class performance isn't just limited to what he's done on the scoring end. He's seventh in big chances created (two), expected assists per game (.38) and dribble success rate (40 percent). 

He's also contributing on the defensive end, with five tackles and 16 duels won. This all points to not just an attacking player in good form, but one who could potentially challenge for Player of the Season in Seria A. While much was made of his transition to striker, as opposed to his natural winger role, the move so far has played to his strengths. 

Pulisic kept his hot streak going for Milan with another goal on Tuesday, this time in Milan's 3-0 Coppa Italia win over Lecce. With Napoli coming to the San Siro on Sunday, Milan will need another well-rounded outing from their No. 11. The Azzuri have Serie A's second-best attack with nine goals and its third-best defense with three conceded. Milan have allowed just two goals - second in the league - this season.

There are two defensive-minded coaches in Allegri and Antonio Conte on the touchlines - which suggests this will be a match with limited chances. If Pulisic can make an impact, it will be another signal the American is taking his game to another level.

On the other end of the form chart is Sargent. After capturing the imaginations of fans in the English Championship in August, scoring six goals in five games, the 25-year-old has been largely quiet in his last two outings for the Canaries. 

Some of that is to be expected; it was unrealistic to expect the forward to maintain that pace. But something is amiss. Sargent took just 13 touches of the ball against Coventry, with one shot, and connecting on just two passes in 83 minutes. He was much better against Wrexham, with triple the shots and a more cohesive part of the attack, but he still wasn't able to find a goal contribution in Norwich 3-2 loss. 

This all came after a substandard outing with the USMNT in the September camp, in which Sargent was given a rare start. Against South Korea, the numbers were similar to what he did against Coventry in the Championship, taking zero shots in 62 minutes and not making a single pass. Confidence could be a factor. 

With a crucial match against Stoke on Saturday, Sargent needs to get back to his best for not only his club but his chances of being a part of the 2026 World Cup roster. His decision to reject a move to the Bundesliga with Wolfsburg is well-documented, which means he has to be dominant in the second division to gain recognition.

Norwich's promotion hopes are slipping with each game. Yes, it's just six matches into the season, but the team is 15th in the table. That wasn't expected, especially with Sargent in the squad. Things need to change, and change fast. 

Modest-budgeted Crystal Palace have three Premier League clean sheets this season, and Richards has played a big part. The 25-year-old U.S. international is everywhere for the Eagles, thriving in a three-man backline that allows him to play up to his strengths as a centerback.

Whether it's aerial duels, where he's won an impressive 70 percent, or duels on the ground, a strong 73 percent, Richards has emerged as a key part of Oliver Glasner's backline. 

Richards will be needed when Palace host Liverpool at Selhurst Park. The Reds sit at the top of the table, barnstorming through England with a league-leading 11 goals. The Eagles, on the other hand, have been under the radar but are a surprising fifth, thanks to their stingy defense - tied for first in goals allowed at just two. This is a classic attack vs defense matchup, as both teams excel at the other's weakness. 

Palace's attack has been inconsistent this season, likely feeling the impact of losing Eberechi Eze on deadline day to Arsenal. Yet, Glasner is arguably the Premier League's most prepared manager at the moment, extracting incredible value from a relatively small and mostly young squad.

Bring out the popcorn for a match which could see Richards' star get bigger - if Palace pull off the upset. 

Neither Weston McKennie nor Yunus Musah has gotten off to the start they would have envisioned in a World Cup year. McKennie has made just two starts, and Musah has played just 109 minutes in three Serie A outings, with 90 of those coming while with AC Milan prior to his loan to Atalanta. Both have chances to change their fortunes when the Old Lady host La Dea. 

Juventus are the second-best team in Serie A with 10 points, while Atalanta are fifth. While the Turin side has traditionally dominated, with 67 wins to their favor, Igor Tudor has struggled in his matches against Ivan Juric - with a 1W-1D-2L record.

And this match is equally significant to the Americans on both squads. The U.S. call-ups could be announced within the next week, and Mauricio Pochettino has indicated this will be his A team. Both McKennie and Musah desperately need to prove why they should be included ahead of October's friendlies.