Nicolas Jackson responds to John Obi Mikel’s criticism with dominant display

By Monsurah Olatunji

Former Chelsea midfielder Mikel Obi recently received a sharp retort from Senegalese striker Nicolas Jackson after Jackson’s standout performance in Chelsea’s 6-2 victory over Wolves.

Jackson, who scored and assisted in the match, made headlines by netting the fastest Premier League goal of the season just 98 seconds in, setting a new record for Chelsea since 2017.

Despite this, Jackson couldn’t ignore Mikel’s earlier criticism. Mikel had criticized Jackson’s performance in Chelsea’s 2-0 loss to Manchester City, questioning his suitability for the team.

Mikel had stated on BeIN Sports: “Chelsea needs a striker who can hit the ball in the back of the net and that’s what we don’t have. I know I talk so much about him (Jackson) and sometimes I sound like I disrespect him. I don’t disrespect him. I think at Chelsea Football Club we need a top striker who can get us a goal.”

Taking Mikel’s remarks to heart, Jackson responded after his impressive showing against Wolves. In a pointed social media post, Jackson tagged Mikel in an Instagram Story, writing: “Shut your mouth, don’t talk sh*t, we are killing ourselves for Africa.”

This response highlights the tension between the two players and Jackson’s desire to prove himself despite the criticism.