Should Maresca Drop This Chelsea Player After Win?

Chelsea edged closer to a Premier League top-four finish with a battling 1-0 victory over Leicester City at Stamford Bridge this afternoon.

Marc Cucurella’s goal in the hour mark secured Enzo Maresca’s team all three points, marking their second consecutive league win and second clean sheet in a row.

Cole Palmer could have scored for the first time in nine games but his penalty was saved by Mads Hermansen in the first half, ending his perfect penalty record since joining in 2023.

This win propelled the Blues past Manchester City into fourth place, just two points behind Nottingham Forest and three points ahead of Brighton in sixth. A top-five finish is likely to guarantee Champions League qualification this season.

However, despite the win, several Chelsea players underperformed, potentially jeopardizing their starting positions for Thursday’s Conference League match against Copenhagen.

Chelsea’s Underperformers Against Leicester City

As mentioned, Palmer has been struggling in attack recently, and his lack of attacking threat was evident again against Leicester.

After his saved penalty, the 22-year-old failed to register another shot on target and missed another clear chance, highlighting his recent goalscoring difficulties.

Pedro Neto played as Chelsea’s most advanced player in the absence of injured striker Nicolas Jackson.

The Portuguese winger only managed one shot on goal, completed just 33% of his attempted dribbles, and found a teammate with only 17% of his crosses.

Despite these performances from Palmer and Neto, another starter was even more disappointing, and Maresca needs to consider moving him on in the next transfer window.

The Chelsea Player Rated 5/10 Against Leicester

In recent weeks, Maresca has given opportunities to various squad players to prove themselves and secure a regular place in the team.

Neto is one example of a player who has been given a chance recently, producing inconsistent displays like today’s, but still showing glimpses of his potential.

Maresca has also given starts to Christopher Nkunku, with the Frenchman aiming to capitalize on Jackson’s injury and break into the starting XI.

However, today was another game to forget for the £52m signing, who looked toothless in attack and far from the player Chelsea invested heavily in back in 2023.

The 27-year-old played for 89 minutes but had minimal impact playing on the left wing.

Despite getting two shots on target, Nkunku completed only 50% of his dribbles and lost possession six times – once every six touches.

Nkunku also won just 38% of his ground duels and created no chances for teammates, leading to criticism of his performance.

Adding to his poor performance, Nkunku received a low 5/10 match rating, with his failure to impress against a relegation-threatened side potentially signaling the end of his Chelsea career.

He has consistently underperformed, scoring only one league goal in 2025. Maresca needs to take action and cut losses on the former RB Leipzig player.

There was interest in him during the January transfer window, and Chelsea will hope clubs reignite their interest this summer to facilitate his sale.