Mauricio Pochettino Issues Challenge to Christopher Nkunku Following His Debut Start Against Chelsea

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“Christopher Nkunku, who signed a six-year deal with Chelsea this summer, made his Premier League debut on Christmas Eve after recovering from a preseason knee injury.

The 26-year-old impressed by scoring a stoppage-time header in a 2-1 defeat to Wolves and earned his first start in a crucial 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace under manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Playing for 70 minutes before being substituted, Nkunku showcased his potential, prompting Pochettino to acknowledge the need for further adaptation to both the team and the Premier League.

Pochettino commented, ‘He needs to adapt to the team and the Premier League, but he played more than 60 minutes, and it was an important step for him.’

Despite praising Nkunku’s performance, Pochettino emphasized the importance of increased involvement, stating, ‘We need him to be more involved, but it’s normal; it’s his first 70 minutes. He needs to play games and he will start to find himself and adapt.’

Nkunku, reflecting on his first start, expressed his joy, saying, ‘It meant a lot. I was very happy. For six months, I didn’t play, I didn’t start a game, so I feel good.

The most important thing is that I have no issues after the games, so we continue to improve.’

The win at Stamford Bridge alleviated some pressure on Pochettino, moving Chelsea into the top half of the Premier League table.

Notably, this marked only the seventh time Chelsea secured three points in Pochettino’s 19 games in charge, placing them 10th in the table, trailing fourth-place Manchester City by 12 points.”

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