Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino revealed he has warned striker Nicolas Jackson about his ill-discipline. The summer signing has already received four yellow cards for dissent this season and now risks a one-match ban just five games into the Premier League campaign.
Jackson has received bookings in all but one of Chelsea’s fixtures so far this season. Intriguingly, all of them have been for showing dissent towards the referee rather than for fouls.
Pochettino has said that he warned the 22-year-old about his conduct. Jackson will be banned for one match if he receives another yellow card before Chelsea’s 20th game of the Premier League season.
Enzo Fernandez was also present in the meeting but it is not clear if he too was warned about his conduct. The Argentine has been booked just twice in the Premier League.
Pochettino said on Friday during his press conference: “I talked to him today. We were talking about that. We had a meeting with him and Enzo.
“I said, ‘come on, for a striker to have four yellow cards, to protest… to talk with the referee. You need to get some yellow cards for different actions not because of that. It’s so easy, so cheap.
“I think he could put the team in a really difficult situation (if it continues). He understood. But Jackson is 22, he is young, he needs to learn, to improve. He is going to be a fantastic player, but he needs time.”
Jackson has endured an indifferent start to life at Chelsea’s despite Pochettino backing the £30million arrival from Villarreal to develop into one of the Premier League’s best strikers. He scored his first goal for the club in the Blues’ only league win – a 3-0 demolition of Luton.
A record of just one goal in five matches for the forward has epitomised Chelsea’s struggles in attack. They drew a blank in a stalemate with Bournemouth last weekend despite creating a plethora of chances.
The West Londoners have spent £1billion since the Todd Boehly-led takeover was completed in May 2022 but have not clicked up front. £88m January signing Mykhaylo Mudryk is yet to find the net, while Christopher Nkunku was cruelly ruled out for the first half of the season after his move from RB Leipzig.
Pochettino’s side host Aston Villa on Sunday hoping to kickstart their Premier League campaign. Chelsea are 14th in the top-flight having won just one of their first five games.
