Olivier Giroud is perhaps the most in-form striker in the Premier League

The numbers tell you that Olivier Giroud is perhaps the Premier League's most in-form marksman. Six goals from his last six starts in the top-flight, first name on the team-sheet, surely?

The problem for the 34-year-old is that, before his strike here, his previous five starts had come in July, during the days of Project Restart.

Since then it has been Project No-Start for the World Cup winner, manager Frank Lampard preferring his younger models in attack.

Giroud likened his exile to 'facing the wall' when interviewed ahead of this game. But during the course of the past few days the striker has scaled that obstacle. He is now, deservedly, the man in possession of a starting jersey.

His four goals during Wednesday night's 4-0 Champions League win in Sevilla meant he was undroppable for this visit of Leeds. Fail to score, though, and he would probably have brick for company come next weekend.

So how he must have felt like throwing bricks at team-mate Timo Werner when the German inexplicably blocked Giroud's goal-bound header on the line before seeing his own shot deflected onto the crossbar.

At least Werner's indiscretion arrived early enough, on nine minutes, for Giroud to make amends on his own.

And that he had done come the 27th minute, sliding to turn in from a Reece James centre to draw Chelsea level and cancel out Patrick Bamford's early opener.

He has never wanted for confidence, has Giroud, but in the wake of that clinical conversion he was seen instructing Lampard as to some tactical observation, and the boss nodded gratefully in agreement.

Such a scene was unimaginable a few weeks ago, when all the talk was that Giroud would quit Stamford Bridge next month.

He still might, of course. His priority, it seems, is winning a place in the France squad for next summer's Euros.

To do that, says Les Bleus boss Didier Deschamps, the striker needs game time at club level. To achieve that, at Chelsea at least, he needs to score goals.

Five in four days this past week coupled with a strong performance means he could even be rested for Tuesday's Champions League visit of Krasnodar.

For Chelsea travel to Everton in the Premier League next Sunday, and Lampard would be foolish not to have Giroud's name inked on the team-sheet for that one.