Chelsea forward Cole Palmer has spoken highly of Nicolas Jackson following the Senegalese striker’s standout performance in a 3-0 victory against West Ham United, Soccernet.football reports.
Jackson, who has faced criticism for his form last season, silenced doubters with two quick-fire goals in the first 20 minutes, setting Chelsea on course for a comfortable win at the London Stadium. Palmer added the third goal, rounding off an impressive day for the Blues.
Jackson has emerged as a key figure in Chelsea’s attack, with Palmer noting why he is now the preferred option ahead of Christopher Nkunku.
“Everybody knows he [Nicolas Jackson] is a top player – he needs to keep going. The Chelsea fans and players rate him highly – we know what he is capable of,” Palmer told TNT Sports, as per BBC.
Jackson’s recent performances have been instrumental in Chelsea’s strong start to the season.
Despite early criticism, the former Villarreal forward has been proving his worth.
Palmer further added, “There will always be noise, we try to block it out and listen to the manager. We have a good manager and it can only help us to get better.”
Under new manager Enzo Maresca, Chelsea have thrived, winning all three of their away Premier League games this season.
This feat makes Maresca only the eighth manager to achieve such a record, the first since Pep Guardiola in 2016.
Chelsea’s ten away goals this season are the most they’ve scored in their first three league games since the 1925-26 campaign.
Since the start of May, Chelsea have also accumulated more Premier League points than any other team, although they have played more matches than Manchester City and Arsenal.