“Christopher Nkunku’s debut season at Chelsea has been marked by frustration and setbacks, with injuries hampering his role as the anticipated centerpiece in Mauricio Pochettino’s attack.
Chelsea invested £52 million to acquire Nkunku from RB Leipzig, but a knee injury sustained during a pre-season friendly in August delayed his competitive debut for several months.
Nkunku made his English football debut as a substitute, scoring for Chelsea in a 2-1 loss against Wolves on Christmas Eve. However, just six days later, he suffered a hip injury during a 3-2 victory over Luton, keeping him out of action for another month.
Upon his return, Nkunku demonstrated his goal-scoring prowess by skillfully finding the net in a 4-1 defeat to Liverpool. This marked his second goal in five Premier League appearances for Chelsea, both resulting in defeats.
Remarkably, Nkunku joined a rare club in Chelsea’s history, as the only other player to score in multiple Premier League matches for the club and end up on the losing side in each was Laurent Charvet. Charvet, also a French compatriot, managed two goals in 11 Premier League outings during a brief loan spell at Stamford Bridge in 1998. His goals came in a 2-1 defeat to West Ham and a 3-1 loss away to Leeds.
“If Nkunku scores his next Premier League goal in a defeat, he will solidify the unwanted record as his own.”Chelsea’s dominance over the Eagles has been evident in their recent history, having secured victories in their last 12 Premier League encounters against them. However, they have yet to achieve a 13-game winning streak against any opponent in their league history. Whether this milestone is reached hinges on Pochettino’s decision to potentially alter the attacking lineup.