Nicolas Jackson has matched Didier Drogba as his Erling Haaland's chase continues after a man-of-the-match display for Chelsea at West Ham United.
Senegalese striker Nicolas Jackson put on a masterclass performance reminiscent of Chelsea legend Didier Drogba as the Blues dismantled West Ham United 3-0 in Saturday's London Derby at the Olympic Stadium.
Jackson, who celebrated his 50th appearance for Chelsea in all competitions, scored a brace and provided an assist to Cole Palmer, leading Enzo Maresca's side to a convincing victory over their crosstown rivals.
21:56 - 18.09.2024
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The 23-year-old's early double strike etched his name in the Chelsea history books, becoming the first player to score twice in the opening stages of a Premier League match since club legend Drogba achieved the feat against Middlesbrough in January 2005.
Jackson's first goal came from a quick counterattack following a Mohammed Kudus chance for West Ham.
Capitalising on a clever free-kick taken by Jadon Sancho in Chelsea's half, Jackson cut in from the left and slotted a low shot through Alphonse Areola's legs to open the scoring.
The young striker doubled his tally with a clinical finish from 40 yards out, latching onto a perfectly weighted pass from Moises Caicedo that split the West Ham defence.
Jackson who last season broke another Drogba record calmly used the outside of his right boot to guide the ball past Areola, showcasing his growing confidence and finishing ability.
This performance continues Jackson's impressive run of form against West Ham, marking the second time he has netted multiple goals against the Hammers in the Premier League.
His only other multi-goal game in the league came in the form of a hat-trick against Tottenham Hotspur last season.
While Jackson's exploits are drawing comparisons to Chelsea great Drogba, he's also making strides in the current Premier League landscape.
Since the beginning of May, only Manchester City's prolific striker Erling Haaland has scored more Premier League goals (15) than Jackson's tally of 8.
As Chelsea climb the table on the back of this emphatic win, Nicolas's emergence as a potent goalscoring threat echoes the impact of Drogba in his prime while simultaneously positioning the young Senegalese star as a challenger to Haaland's dominance in the current Premier League scoring charts.