What Christopher Nkunku’s celebration told us about attacker’s Chelsea situation

Christopher Nkunku’s celebration after scoring the winner for Chelsea against Bournemouth on Saturday was rather notable.

The attacker ran to the corner flag pointing very deliberately at himself – I’m the man, I’ve saved you, I should be in the team.

That’s what it said to us, anyway.

Perhaps it should be no surprise that he’s got that attitude. He was supposed to be our saviour last year and ended up injured for pretty much the whole campaign. Now he’s fit he can’t get into Enzo Maresca’s starting XI – although that may now change after another positive impact off the bench.

You can see his celebration in slow motion at the end of this clip of Jadon Sancho’s highlights

Nkunku ready to fight for his place

Speaking to the official Chelsea website after the game, Nkunku didn’t really hide his frustrations, but he also understands the level of competition, and that being out injured for the best part of a year isn’t going to mean you get to walk right back into the team. In his absence, Cole Palmer stepped up, and now players like Noni Madueke are doing well too.

“We are in a big club and have big players,” said Nkunku.

“It is competitive in every position and we just need to work hard in every training session and in every game.”

He also spoke a little about the goal he had scored, explaining what Maresca told him as he put him on, and crediting his new teammate Jadon Sancho for his assist:

“He just said that we need quality in the box and we have ten minutes left so he said for me to enjoy. It was good from Jadon [Sancho]. I felt like I had the space behind me, so I turned and I was a little bit lucky because I had three defenders there, but I scored.”

Top image: Christopher Nkunku celebrates a goal. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP)