Chelsea head into their London derby against Tottenham Hotspur later in good form.
Enzo Maresca‘s side beat Southampton 5-1 last time out to move to second in the Premier League table.
Chelsea had five different goalscorers that night, including Cole Palmer and Noni Madueke.
Madueke returned to the starting line-up after being dropped for the Blues’ 3-0 win against Aston Villa the match before. And after his performance at St Mary’s, you would expect him to retain his place.
Noni Madueke of Chelsea during the Premier League match between Southampton FC and Chelsea FC at St Mary's Stadium on December 4, 2024 in Southampt...
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Enzo Maresca’s warning to Noni Madueke
Should Madueke get the nod at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this afternoon, the winger will be under pressure to perform.
Following Chelsea’s 5-1 triumph over Southampton, Maresca stated that he wanted more from the 22-year-old, claiming that his performance levels tend to drop after he has a good game.
Maresca spoke about Madueke in his pre-match press conference after full time, telling reporters: “The moment he starts to score or assist and is happy, he starts to drop a little bit and the reason why he was not playing is because I do not like the way he trained.”
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The Chelsea manager will be watching him closely, then, expecting to see some consistency.
Who could replace Noni Madueke?
Again, after his display against Southampton and the fact that he has been Chelsea’s first-choice right winger this term, Madueke starting in this afternoon’s London derby seems likely.
The Englishman’s goal during the week was a quality one. “This is pure class,” Chelsea legend Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink said when analysing Madueke’s strike.
However, Maresca has options if he wants to replace Madueke during the game or from the start. Jadon Sancho, who also netted against Southampton, and Pedro Neto can play on the right, too.
It is another reason why Madueke has to start showing more consistency in matches and training better.
Overall, Madueke is having a bright campaign. In the 13 appearances that the England international has made in the Premier League, he has scored five goals and provided two assists.
It is clear, though, that Maresca thinks there is still room for improvement. And after some of the chances that he missed in Chelsea’s last outing, it is hard to disagree.
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