Nicolas Jackson will never attempt to take another penalty off Cole Palmer ever again after the bizarre incident during Chelsea’s 6-0 win over Everton.
On Monday night, with the score at 4-0, Chelsea were awarded a penalty in the 66th minute after Palmer was fouled in the box, but what happened next overshadowed the whole match.
Palmer has been the Blues’ designated penalty taker all season, but it was Noni Madueke who grabbed the ball, with the winger insisting he took the spot-kick.
This prompted an argument between the pair as well as captain Conor Gallagher, before Jackson blazed in in an attempt to claim the penalty for himself.
In the end, Palmer was allowed to step up to the spot and score past Jordan Pickford, his fourth goal of the game and his 20th in the Premier League this season which means he now leads the Golden Boot race.
All anyone could talk about was the penalty incident however, which left Mauricio Pochettino ‘upset’, though Palmer himself tried to play the matter down.
Madueke has taken Chelsea’s only two penalties this season when the England international wasn’t on the pitch, so one could understand his desire to take another given his teammate had already completed his hat-trick.
Jackson meanwhile has never taken a spot-kick in his entire career, making his intervention all the stranger, and the Telegraph report that the Senegal international was simply determined to hit his targets for his debut campaign at Stamford Bride.
It is said the 22-year-old is aiming to finish the season with at least 15 league goals and 20 across all competitions, a feat that is doable though still tricky with eight fixtures to go – nine if Chelsea reach the FA Cup final.
He bagged his 10th league goal against Everton – matching his idol Didier Drogba’s first season with the Blues – and has 13 overall in 36 appearances.
Despite being initially upset over the incident, the report adds that Jackson has heeded Pochettino’s warning that these rows cannot happen again, and will not attempt a similar stunt.
The result against Everton leaves Chelsea ninth in the table but only three points off sixth-placed Newcastle with the club desperate to qualify for European competition.
Jackson’s next chance to get closer to his target will be next Tuesday when the Blues travel to London rivals Arsenal.
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