Mauricio Pochettino oversaw a spirited Chelsea comeback against Crystal Palace (Image: Getty)Chelsea forward Nicolas Jackson picked up another unnecessary booking on Monday night during his side’s win over Crystal Palace. Blues boss Mauricio Pochettino has previously warned the youngster about his disciplinary record. Jackson is now just one caution away from suspension, and repercussions are imminent. Jefferson Lerma’s stunning goal initially pushed Chelsea on the back foot at Selhurst Park.
However, they staged a remarkable second-half revival, scoring three goals to secure a thrilling 3-1 victory. Emotions ran high in stoppage time as Conor Gallagher and Enzo Fernandez netted in quick succession. Jackson, who had been substituted with just over 10 minutes to play, ran onto the pitch to congratulate Fernandez, earning himself a yellow card. Another caution in the next eight games would result in a two-game ban for Jackson.
Pochettino had previously publicly warned the 22-year-old after he received four bookings for dissent in five games. Pochettino stressed the need for Jackson to receive yellow cards for different actions, stating, “Not so easy, not so cheap.” The topic of Jackson’s potential suspension resurfaced upon his return from the Africa Cup of Nations. Pochettino acknowledged that they had discussed the issue and emphasized Jackson’s awareness of the potential ban.
Despite the disciplinary concerns, Jackson remains Chelsea’s second-top-scorer in the Premier League, with seven goals, behind only Cole Palmer. Following their crucial win at Selhurst Park, Pochettino emphasized the importance of having all resources available for upcoming challenges, including a tough trip to Manchester City and the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool later this month. Pochettino expressed mixed feelings about his team’s performance against Palace, admitting that while he was pleased with the result, they need to work on being more consistent and starting games differently. When reflecting on the comeback, Pochettino remarked, “If you ask me if I am really happy about the performance, I’m 50-50, because we cannot approach the game and start the game the way that we started.
That is the consistency we need to build. We need to be more consistent, we need to start the game in a different way.” Despite the mixed feelings, Pochettino expressed confidence in the team’s preparation for the upcoming challenges, particularly the game against Manchester City and the Carabao Cup final.