Chelsea forward Nicolas Jackson has responded sharply to criticism from former Blues midfielder Mikel Obi. Obi had suggested that Jackson missed too many chances in Chelsea’s recent match against Manchester City and hinted that the club might consider signing Victor Osimhen as a potential alternative.
In response, Jackson took to Instagram to address Obi’s comments directly, stating, “Mikel Obi, shut your mouth, don’t talk sh*t, we are killing ourselves for Africa.” His post came after he scored Chelsea’s opening goal in their 6-2 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers, marking the club’s fastest Premier League goal since 2017.
Jackson’s goal was a header from the back post within the first two minutes of the match. Following the game, he celebrated his performance and the team’s victory, using the opportunity to defend his abilities against Obi’s critique.
Obi, commenting on beIN Sport during Chelsea’s 2-0 loss to Manchester City, said, “We created chances, we haven’t taken them. And just an example of how Jackson finishes. You can see there, even though he was offside, he dribbles [past] one or two or three players and the way he shoots the ball! You need a striker who knows how to hit a ball back in the back of the net and that’s what we don’t have. I know I talk so much about him and sometimes I sound like I disrespect him. I don’t disrespect him. I think at Chelsea Football Club we need a top striker who can get us a goal. A bit like [Haaland], 91 goals [for City] that’s absolutely unbelievable.”
Chelsea will host Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, September 1, in their third Premier League game of the season.