Nicolas Jackson fired back at criticism from John Obi Mikel following a Chelsea masterclass.
The Blues striker played a key role in their stunning 6-2 victory over Wolves on Sunday, scoring the opening goal before offering an assist for Cole Palmer to make it 2-1.
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Jackson’s performance came seven days after a display in their 2-0 defeat to Manchester City that drew criticism from the former Chelsea midfielder.
In the coverage of the Man City defeat, Mikel said: “We’ve played OK, we haven’t played perfect, but we’ve played OK.
“We created chances, we haven’t taken them. And just an example of how Jackson finishes.
“You can see there, even though he was offside, he dribble [past[ one or two or three players and the way he shot the ball!”
With his arms outstretched, he continued: “You need a striker who knows how to hit a ball back in the back of the net and that’s what we don’t have.
“I know I talk so much about him and sometimes I sound like I disrespect him. I don’t disrespect him.
“I think at Chelsea Football Club we need a top striker who can get us a goal.
“A bit like [Haaland], 91 goals [for City] that’s absolutely unbelievable.”
But posting to Instagram after the clash with Wolves, Jackson gave a strong reply.
He said: “@Mikel_John_Obi, shut your mouth, don’t talk s***. We are killing ourselves for Africa,” with a heart, football and globe emoji alongside it.
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In response to Jackson’s outburst, Mikel said: “Shots fired.”
Mikel added: “I really like the guy. There’s something there as a football player, but he’s still raw. The finishing part of his game needs to be worked on.
“I haven’t said he’s a bad player at all. I’ve just said his finishing quality is not there yet. He’s a young boy.
“All I said was he needs an experienced striker to come into the football club to help him. To help him improve and get better.
“We can all see the shift he puts in week in, week out. He runs around and puts himself in good positions.
“The finishing hasn’t been that great. That’s the only thing I have said. He’s still young and needs someone to come in and help him.
“If he scores every week and tells me to shut up I’ll take that.”
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Since joining Chelsea for £32million last summer, Jackson has played 46 games for the Blues, scoring 18 goals and offering six assists in the process.
However, several high-profile misses, and the fact that three of his goals were against a nine-man Tottenham team, have seen his reputation diminish.
He’ll be hoping to kick on and prove himself as a top Premier League forward this term.
However, with Romelu Lukaku being sold by the Blues, there is a chance, even after the arrival of fellow forward Joao Felix, a rival striker could be incoming.
One possibility would be Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen who has long been linked with a switch to Stamford Bridge from Italian giants Napoli.
And Mikel is someone who has consistently advised Chelsea to make that move.
He said on his podcast last November: “I just thought, ‘I just hope he stays at Napoli.’
“Or maybe next season, I know you’re going to come to Chelsea. I’m telling you, I’m going to be the agent to broker that deal! You are 100 per cent going to Chelsea next season.
“I’m going to make sure that deal happens because we are crying out for someone like you. Since the big man left the club, you know Didier Drogba, my teammate, we haven’t had anybody with that figure, that stature, that personality.
“Someone who can score goals in big games and somebody we can depend on scoring goals, and I just feel like you are that person, you will fit right in at what we need to achieve at the club.
“We’re crying out for someone who will get us goals and I think that’s what you will give us so…. Saudi can wait. Give us two or three years at Chelsea or four years and then maybe Saudi can happen.
“But yeah, Chelsea next season, I hope you come to the club, it’s amazing. Obviously to live in London, we don’t have the best weather but everything else is amazing, trust me. The club, the people at the club, the training ground, everything is absolutely amazing.”
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