Football

‘For Sure, I’m Worried’ – Enzo Maresca Admits Palmer & Jackson’s Goal Drought Could be Catastrophic for Chelsea

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By
Sushan Chakraborty
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Sushan Chakraborty Sports Editor

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Published18 Apr 2025

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Chelsea Manager Enzo Maresca Gestures

Manager Enzo Maresca has said Chelsea could miss out on Champions League football if Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson do not start scoring again. 

Palmer and Jackson, who were scoring for fun in the first few months of the 2024-25 season, have seemingly misplaced their shooting boots. Between August and mid-January, Palmer scored 14 goals in 21 Premier League appearances. He has not scored in his last 10 league games.

Jackson, meanwhile, scored nine goals in 15 Premier League outings between August and December. He has failed to find the back of the net in his last 11 league outings.

Chelsea, who are in sixth place in the English top-flight rankings, faced Legia Warsaw in the UEFA Europa Conference League on Thursday, April 17. Surprisingly, both Palmer and Jackson started the game, as Maresca gave them a shot to end their drought. The plan, however, did not pay off, as they struggled in front of goal before leaving the pitch long before the game finished.

Chelsea failed to live up to expectations against Legia Warsaw at Stamford Bridge and succumbed to a 2-1 defeat. Luckily, they had a 3-0 lead from the first leg, which secured their passage to the semi-finals.

Enzo Maresca Says Chelsea Cannot Secure Champions League Football Without Palmer and Jackson’s Help

After drawing another blank against Warsaw, Palmer’s goalless run has extended to 15 games while Jackson is on a 12-game drought.

Speaking after the game, Maresca acknowledged he wanted to give his star men a chance to find their shooting boots once more.

The Italian manager said (via The Daily Mail):

“Using them is to build a little physical condition, but also to build mentally a little, because they struggle to score in this moment.

“To give them 45 minutes, one hour, it’s a chance to see if they can score, and they can go again. When they don’t score, for sure I’m worried.”

When quizzed if Chelsea can qualify for the Champions League even without Palmer and Jackson, Maresca bluntly stated:

“No.”

When probed if it was as simple as that, he confirmed: “Yes.”

Chelsea will face ninth-placed Fulham in their next Premier League outing on Sunday, April 20. They need to secure maximum points to put pressure on fifth-placed Manchester City in the race for Champions League football.