You would be forgiven if you were mistaken in thinking Nicolas Jackson’s striking finish against Everton meant more than what it was. The 1-0 victory was a crucial step in Chelsea’s Champions League pursuit. Still, when the ball hit the back of the net Jackson looked to have tears in his eyes as he emotionally celebrated alongside his teammates. It was the striker’s first in 14 games and amid the hosts’ recent struggles up front, it felt like a welcome breakthrough, belied that the job of securing their European ambitions is far from over.
“We never had doubts with the ones who struggled for parts of the season” said Enzo Maresca, who was celebrating his 50th Chelsea match in charge with a one-match touchline ban after picking up a third yellow card of the season against Fulham last weekend. “We had to support them even more and Nico finally found a goal today.”
