“Top4 will slip away because of him” “Better replace him this January” – Mikel Obi slams Chelsea star after costing Chelsea 3points against Crystal Palace
Chelsea’s poor Premier League form continued on Saturday as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. Despite dominating large parts of the game, Chelsea failed to capitalize on their first-half lead, extending their winless run in the league to four matches (D2, L2).
The match started brightly for Chelsea, with Jadon Sancho playing a pivotal role in their early goal. The winger’s brilliant dummy and surging run through the Palace defense set up Cole Palmer, who slotted the ball past Dean Henderson in the 14th minute.
Chelsea had opportunities to extend their advantage, most notably when Pedro Neto flicked a free-kick to the back post, but Nicolas Jackson failed to convert his volley. The missed chances proved costly as Palace grew into the game, particularly in the second half.
The hosts leveled in the 76th minute after Jean-Philippe Mateta capitalized on a misplaced pass from Palmer, finishing off a swift counter-attack with a low strike past Robert Sánchez. Chelsea’s late attempts to reclaim the lead fell short, leaving manager Enzo Maresca visibly frustrated.
However, Chelsea star Nicolas Jackson has come under fire from former teammate John Mikel Obi for squandering Chelsea’s opportunities to win three points against Palace.
“Jackson should have won the game in the first half, but he missed a lot of opportunities. He needs to be more clinical,” John Mikel Obi stated.
“Enzo Maresca should search the market for a skilled striker who can help you win games like this.” Jackson continued, “If he can’t finish such chances, he can’t win you games or give you top four.”