JOHN OBI MIKEL has fired back at Nicolas Jackson after the Chelsea star’s foul-mouthed blast at him.
The Blues icon was on the receiving end of an outburst by Jackson following Sunday’s 6-2 win at Wolves.
Jackson let rip at Mikel after scoring the opener at Molineux.
He wrote on Instagram: “@Mikel_john_obi shut your mouth. Don’t talk s***, we are killing ourselves for Africa.”
Jackson had been responding to Mikel’s criticism of his struggles against Man City the week before.
But the Nigerian reckons he will be happy to take more heat from Jackson – if the Senegal striker bags more goals.
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He said: “I really like the guy as a football player. I like him. There’s something there as a football player.
“I haven’t said that he’s a bad player at all. I’ve just said that his finishing qualities, it’s not there yet.
“He’s a young boy and all I’ve said is that he needs a more experienced striker to come into the football club to help him, to help him improve, to help him get better.
“We all can see the shift he puts in week in, week out. So for me, I would like to see my African brother like he said do well in the Premier League, come to Chelsea, a big club, a massive club where we’ve had one of the greatest strikers in Didier Drogba from Africa, Ivory Coast did really well.
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“I’d like to see him do well as well in the club. If he plays well I will praise him. If there is something to be said about him, where he needs to improve, I will definitely say it.
“If he scores every week and tells me to shut up, I’ll take that. You know what I mean?”
Mikel had earlier called Jackson ‘not a top striker’.
He said at the time: “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.”
Former midfielder Mikel spent over a decade at Chelsea, playing 372 games between 2006 and 2017.
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Mikel also won plenty of trophies including two titles, four FA Cups and the Champions League.
He has been critical of Todd Boehly’s policy of buying younger players rather than proven Premier League stars.
Chelsea ratings vs Wolves: Madueke and Palmer on fire as Blues run riot… but Mudryk has shocker
NONI MADUEKE bagged himself a second-half hat-trick courtesy of Cole Palmer as Chelsea fired to a 6-2 victory away at Wolves.
Palmer’s three assists and first half strike capped off a wonderful afternoon for the England ace and a game that at times resembled a basketball match.
Here’s how SunSports’ Katherine Walsh rated the Blues stars…
Robert Sanchez – 7/10
Solid display. Held firm and kept Wolves at bay in the first half.
Brilliant long ball distribution cross-pitch to Jackson who assisted Palmer’s goal and Chelsea’s second.
Malo Gusto – 5
Out of position for Matheus Cunha’s 26th minute equaliser and didn’t get forward enough.
Failed to have an influence on the game after a quieter second 45 minutes from Wolves.
Wesley Fofana – 6
Had his back to goal for Wolves’ second equaliser before half-time.
The ball had been guided in by a free-kick and Jorgen Strand-Larsen cleverly guided it home with his right foot.
Levi Colwill – 6
Not a particularly noticeable performance from the 21-year-old in a positive or negative sense.
Suppose it was a solid showing but was also caught ball watching for Cunha’s goal.
Pulled Cucurella away from the third brawl of the match.
Marc Cucurella – 6
Worked hard and found himself centre of multiple fights with Wolves players throughout the 90.
Solid as ever, needing to be alert with Wolves lethal in the first half.
Moises Caicedo – 6
Quiet afternoon for the midfielder. Didn’t do much right or wrong.
Enzo Fernandez – 7
Often in the right place at the right time after clearing two Wolves’ attempts from inside the box.
Battled to win the ball for Madueke’s third goal and frequently recovered possession for the visitors.
Cole Palmer – 9
A brilliant goal and THREE assists finished off a sensational performance from the No10 position.
Somehow managed to outshine hat-trick scorer Madueke after providing all of his goals. His own notch came against the run of play just after receiving a yellow.
Picked up the ball 20 yards from goal after a long Sanchez kick and lobbed Wolves keeper Jose Sa just when the visitors were hanging on.
Mykhailo Mudryk – 4
Enzo Marseca said he needed time and coaching to get his Chelsea career on track. But failed to make an impact against Wolves.
Didn’t notice him being shipped off at half-time for former Wolves star Pedro Neto.
Noni Madueke – 9
The star man scored THREE in the second half after bagging against Servette on Thursday.
Chelsea’s best player in the first half. The young winger has bundles of ability and energy.
Looked lively and won several free-kicks in promising positions.
Worth a note that he silenced the home fans who were heavily booing him throughout after his social media comments earlier today.
Nicolas Jackson – 8
Opened the scoring with a post header inside two minutes.
But let himself down with silly antics while arguing with Cunha twice.
Most non-penalty goals for Chelsea in the Premier League since the start of last season: 15.
And assisted Palmer’s brilliant goal and Chelsea’s second.
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Pedro Neto 7
Put a shift in after coming on at half-time on his first return to the Molineux.
Bagged himself an assist in the 80th minute.
Joao Felix – 7
Scored on his Chelsea 2023/24 debut after joining from Atletico Madrid for £42.6m.
Combined with other new signing Neto for the goal.
Christopher Nkunku – N/A
Renato Veiga – N/A
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – N/A
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
