According to football London, Chelsea started 2025 with a 1-1 draw against Crystal Palace, extending their winless run in the Premier League to four matches. Despite an early goal from Cole Palmer, who linked up with Jadon Sancho, Chelsea squandered numerous chances to extend their lead. In the final minutes, Jean-Philippe Mateta equalized for Palace, leaving Chelsea frustrated with a shared result.
One of the biggest disappointments for manager Enzo Maresca was Nicolas Jackson's performance. The striker played 81 minutes but failed to register a shot on target, missing three attempts and completing just one successful dribble. He also squandered a prime opportunity to extend the lead in the first half and struggled to get involved, with only 30 touches and a low pass completion rate. Jackson's performance earned him a poor 4/10 rating from the Express.
However, Jackson wasn't the worst performer; that distinction went to Marc Cucurella, who had a particularly tough game. The left-back, usually solid under Maresca, struggled both offensively and defensively. He made no key passes and failed to create a significant chance, while defensively, he was caught out for Palace's equalizer and lost possession numerous times. Cucurella was also dribbled past and had a poor showing in duels, earning a 5/10 rating.
With Chelsea's next match against Morecambe in the FA Cup, Maresca may consider rotating his squad, potentially dropping Cucurella in favor of Renato Veiga. This could provide the Spaniard with a much-needed rest ahead of their league match against Bournemouth.
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