Nicolas Jackson propelled Chelsea to a 3-0 victory over West Ham at the London Stadium on Saturday, with the Senegalese striker scoring twice to repay the trust of his manager, Enzo Maresca.
Jackson’s first-half brace set the tone before Cole Palmer added a third, securing Chelsea’s third win in five Premier League matches under Maresca. The decision to start Jackson paid off, despite calls for Christopher Nkunku to feature after his match-winning performance against Bournemouth last weekend.
Jackson, who extended his contract with Chelsea earlier this month until 2033, was preferred over Nkunku, who came off the bench to score in the 1-0 win against Bournemouth. Although Jackson had a mixed debut season with 17 goals and some missed opportunities, he has started this campaign strong, with four goals in six matches across all competitions.
“We are 100 percent happy with Nicolas. He’s worked hard since I arrived and is excellent on the ball in terms of statistics,” Maresca said.
Chelsea have won all three of their away league matches this season, suffering only one loss to champions Manchester City in their five Premier League games.
Despite reports of a power struggle between Chelsea co-owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali, Maresca, who replaced Mauricio Pochettino in the off-season, has made a positive impact. After disappointing sixth and twelfth-place finishes in recent seasons, Maresca’s management has provided hope that he could turn Chelsea’s expensive squad into top-four contenders.
“The points matter, but what’s more important is our progression,” Maresca said. “We are moving in the right direction, but there’s still much we can improve. It’s a process, and we are learning.”
Meanwhile, West Ham’s poor start to the season has placed pressure on their new manager, Julen Lopetegui. Fans voiced their frustration, with many leaving early as West Ham slumped to their third consecutive home defeat.
West Ham have won only one of their five Premier League matches so far, a worrying trend that Lopetegui acknowledged. “It’s a bad day, no excuses. We must be honest and admit we need to improve,” he said.
Chelsea started brightly, with Jackson opening the scoring just four minutes in after a lapse in West Ham’s defense during a free kick. The striker latched onto a pass from Jadon Sancho, raced down the right wing, and finished coolly past Alphonse Areola.
Jackson remained a threat, nearly setting up Palmer for a second before his brace came in the 18th minute. A slick passing move ended with Moises Caicedo threading the ball through the West Ham defense for Jackson, who calmly slotted it past Areola again.
West Ham struggled to respond, with Crysencio Summerville’s penalty appeal denied by VAR after a challenge from Wesley Fofana. Lopetegui reacted by substituting Argentina midfielder Guido Rodríguez before halftime, though Rodríguez’s replacement, Thomas Soucek, failed to lift the team, shooting straight at Chelsea’s keeper, Robert Sanchez.
Sancho, making his first Premier League start since May 2023 following his loan from Manchester United, looked lively with his dribbling, causing West Ham’s defense plenty of problems.
Palmer sealed the win just two minutes into the second half, receiving a pass from Jackson and finishing clinically from a tight angle, putting the game out of West Ham’s reach.