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Chelsea forward Nicolas Jackson is reportedly aiming to finish the season with a certain number of goals in the Premier League this season, which could explain the penalty drama against Everton.
The Blues locked horns with the Toffees at Stamford Bridge on Monday night (April 15), coming off the back of a disappointing 2-2 draw against 20th-placed Sheffield United the weekend before last.
The west Londoners thrashed Everton 6-0 at home, with Cole Palmer once again putting in a marvelous performance. The English attacker netted four of Chelsea's six goals last night, scoring a hat-trick in the first half and a penalty in the second.
Nicolas Jackson found the back of the net just before half-time while 20-year-old academy graduate Alfie Gilchrist got on the scoresheet in the 90th minute, securing all three points for the Blues.
Chelsea were awarded a penalty in the 64th minute after Palmer and Noni Madueke went down in the box and an argument ensued about who would take the penalty. Initially, Madueke and Jackson fought over the chance to take the spot-kick and the former grabbed the ball, preparing himself to step up. Palmer then got up from the ground and Conor Gallagher got involved.
The Chelsea captain instructed Madueke to give the ball to Palmer and that's when Jackson sprinted back in protest once again. Finally, Palmer stepped up to the spot and slotted it home to secure his fourth of the night.
According to a report from the Telegraph, Jackson is keen on taking his tally up to 15 goals before the Premier League season concludes, which may explain his actions.
The Senegalese striker has scored 10 goals in the English top tier so far, recording 13 goals in all competitions.
Mauricio Pochettino confirms who Chelsea's penalty taker is after altercation in Everton win
Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino has reaffirmed that Cole Palmer is the club's penalty taker this season and will remain so, a fact he insists his players are very much aware of.
The Argentine admitted that the reactions from Madueke and Jackson were unacceptable, urging his side to work on their sense of unity. After the game, Pochettino said (via the BBC):
"I can't accept this kind of behavior. I told them it's the last time I want to see this kind of behavior. It is impossible to have this type of behavior after this performance. If we want to be a great team, we need to change and think in a collective way."
Regarding Chelsea's penalty taker, he added:
"The penalty taker is Palmer. It's Palmer who needs to decide if he wants to give the ball to a team-mate. It's important to fix. They realize now. It's a shame. It's a process for a young team who need to learn a lot. I need to apologize because fans around the world are seeing this type of situation after 4-0 to fight for a penalty."
Palmer has played an extremely crucial role in helping the Blues climb up to the top half of the table amid their struggles this season. He has registered 25 goals and 13 assists across competitions this term.
The England international is level with Manchester City striker Erling Haaland as the Premier League's top goalscorer (20) so far this season.
