Chelsea Enzo Maresca has reiterated his faith in Nicolas Jackson despite the forward's recent poor form in the Premier League.
The 23-year-old has contributed nine goals and three assists from his 19 appearances in the Premier League since Maresca's arrival at Stamford Bridge.
However, Jackson is without a goal in his last four outings in the top flight and has chipped in with just three strikes in his most recent 10 games.
As a result, there has been growing criticism of the Senegal international with a number of chances having been wasted against the likes of Everton, Fulham and Crystal Palace.
Nevertheless, speaking at a press conference on Monday, Maresca defiantly praised the impact that Jackson has made since moving to Chelsea from Villarreal since the summer of 2023.
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Maresca pays credit to Jackson
Jackson has scored 23 goals and contributed eight assists from his 54 appearances in the Premier League, none of his goals having been scored from the penalty spot.
Ahead of Tuesday's meeting with Bournemouth, this is a point highlighted by Maresca, the Italian also acknowledging the role that Jackson plays to help the rest of the team.
He told reporters: "Just to continue to work in the way he is working. As you said, he scored many goals at the beginning of the season. Now, there are games where he is not scoring but we are completely happy with Nicolas.
"We don't judge Nicolas just because of the goals. We judge Nicolas for different kinds of things and as I said already, I spoke with Nicolas a few days ago. Last year, I think he scored 14 or 15 goals in the Premier League without penalties. [Erling] Haaland, penalty, [Mohamed] Salah, penalty, Cole Palmer, penalty.
"If you score 14 or 15 goals in the Premier League and you have four or five penalties, no more than that, then in the end it is 20 goals for a striker. This year, he scored already nine or 10 goals. For Nicolas, he is doing well, he is scoring goals with us without penalties and that is not normal for a No.9. Normally No.9s have penalties. We are completely happy with Nicolas.
"For sure, he is going to score goals. Also he is a bit unlucky because in those games he didn't score, he had great chances to score. Sometimes you will score but he has to continue in the same way."
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Can Jackson expect to start against Bournemouth?
Having not played any minutes during the 5-0 demolition of Morecambe in the FA Cup, it is a foregone conclusion that Jackson will start versus Bournemouth.
With teenager Marc Guiu playing 90 minutes against the League Two outfit and Christopher Nkunku only netting once from a deeper role, neither did enough to dislodge Jackson from a Premier League start.
However, with important home fixtures with Bournemouth and Wolverhampton Wanderers to come, Jackson will be aware that he is under increasingly pressure to end his goal drought.
Darren Plant
