Mauricio Pochettino praises Nicolas Jackson for proving his critics wrong after they ‘killed’ him with comparisons to Chelsea legend Didier Drogba

Mauricio Pochettino praised Nicolas Jackson for how he is proving his critics wrong after they ‘killed’ him for not looking like the second coming of Didier Drogba earlier this season.

Jackson is now on 14 goals in the Premier League – none of them from penalties – and his target heading into his maiden campaign was to reach 15. 

Not since Diego Costa in 2016-17 has a Chelsea striker scored more in the top flight, but the £32million summer signing has the chance to close in on that total with games to follow against Brighton tonight and Bournemouth on Sunday.

Though the outside focus has often been on his missed chances, Chelsea are perfectly happy with Jackson’s progress, and Pochettino told journalists: ‘I will never criticise you when you describe what you are seeing. It’s true that he deserved (some criticism) because he was missing big chances. What are you going to say? You need to describe, no?

‘But for us, it’s a different judgement. It’s to see the potential and the capacity to improve. Nico has the potential to be a fantastic striker. It’s about patience and time.

Pochettino says critics ‘killed’ Jackson – who has scored 14 goals in his debut season at Chelsea

The Chelsea boss added that comparisons to Didier Drogba hurt his summer signing

 ‘He got amazing criticism from the beginning because he was compared to Drogba. When I talk about the history of the club, it’s the same. Of course I want to get the results now. I want to win a title now. We were close, yes. We deserved to win against Liverpool (in the Carabao Cup final).

‘But to judge and be so radical in the opinions, be careful, because it’s about seeing what is going on. Nico, through confidence and working really hard, is changing the opinion. I am so happy that now people are starting to see Nico in the way we saw.’

Jackson celebrated scoring the winner against Nottingham Forest on Saturday by diving into the City Ground’s away end. ‘I am so happy about that,’ Pochettino said.

‘That makes us really proud because it’s easy when people are upset with some players because they miss a penalty or a chance. It’s easy for us to say the fans are right and to kill the player. When the player deserves for us to back him, like in the case of Nico, we back.’

Meanwhile, Pochettino has also told Gareth Southgate that Ben Chilwell will be perfectly fit to represent England at Euro 2024. Chilwell is one of several players returning from injury for Chelsea, whose crocked list only contained four names yesterday for the first time this season.