"Ship him to Saudi", "Lukaku wasn't even this bad" - Fans rip into Chelsea star for his 'useless' showing despite win over Leicester
Chelsea fans on X have slammed Christopher Nkunku after he struggled to make an impact during their 1-0 win over Leicester City. The two sides locked horns in the Premier League at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, March 9.
The Blues made a bright start to the game and were rewarded in the 19th minute when Jadon Sancho won his side a penalty. Unfortunately for them, Cole Palmer's effort was saved by Mads Hermansen.
Chelsea were fortunate not to go behind just before half time when Tosin Adarabioyo's attempted clearance struck the crossbar. However, they responded well following the break with Marc Cucurella netting from distance in the 60th minute to help the hosts seal a narrow win.
Nkunku started down the left wing, completing 23 passes from an attempted 24 with an accuracy of 96 percent, per FotMob. However, the 27-year-old created zero chances, lost seven duels, and landed two shots on target from an attempted three, never looking comfortable in front of goal.
Moreover, Chelsea fans were furious by Nkunku's poor work-rate, with one posting:
"Ship Nkunku to Saudi , Palmer should be given a rest."
Another fan tweeted:
"Nkunku might be the laziest footballer I’ve ever seen, Lukaku wasn’t even this bad."
Other fans reacted below:
"Nkunku is useless…" one fan commented.
"Nkunku is like the prototype academy football attacker. No ingenuity, predictable, risk averse. Doesn’t take out players with dribbling or incisive passing. Cute touch, pass and move is his whole bag," another added.
"For a player who apparently scored goals in Germany, Nkunku is dreadful at finding space in behind or at the back post," one fan pointed out.
"Nkunku really got 0 X factor in his boots. No depth or complexity to his actions. Just pass, run and shoot in their most basic forms like a PlayStation bot," another chimed in.
Chelsea 1-0 Leicester: Who was the highest-rated player in PL clash?
Chelsea held their nerve to secure a 1-0 win over Leicester City in their Premier League clash. They have now won two games on the bounce, ousting Manchester City in fourth place with 49 points from 28 games, two points behind third-placed Nottingham Forest.
Moises Caicedo was named the Player of the Match, receiving a match-high rating of 8.6. The 23-year-old controlled the midfield, dictating play with ease, winning 11 duels, making eight recoveries, and winning three tackles from an attempted four. He also made three interceptions, created one chance, and completed both his attempted dribbles.
Chelsea will next face Copenhagen in the second leg of the Europa Conference League Round of 16 (March 13).