[Trending News] Christopher Nkunku’s Chance to Regain Scoring Momentum in Chelsea’s Clash Against Southampton

2025 has proven a challenging year for football giant Chelsea, and one of their star forwards, Christopher Nkunku, has found himself in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. Slated for the upcoming Premier League showdown against Southampton, this match could be the turning point for Nkunku, who has been struggling to find his groove in front of the net this season.

At 27, Nkunku has managed to score a mere two goals in his 22 outings this season. This is partly attributable to the fact that Chelsea’s head coach, Enzo Maresca, has preferred to deploy Nicolas Jackson in the central role. Yet, with Jackson on the sidelines nursing a hamstring injury until April, Nkunku has been given the chance to step up, having started in Chelsea’s last couple of matches against Brighton and Aston Villa. Still, the French international has failed to impress with his goal contributions.

The last time Nkunku had a goal or an assist to his name in the league was in December, in a match against the very opponents Chelsea faces next — Southampton. That evening, Chelsea had a resounding 5-1 victory. This upcoming match is high-stakes for Nkunku, as he has a point to prove, and Chelsea, who are keen to maintain their winning streak.

Southampton, on the other hand, comes to Stamford Bridge sitting at the bottom of the Premier League table, with a dismal nine points. With a 13-point gap from safety, they seem destined to be relegated to the Championship. Having conceded seven goals in their last two matches, and Chelsea having netted five against them in their previous encounter, it seems like Maresca’s squad has a strong chance of scoring multiple goals.

However, Maresca is not focusing on goal difference. When queried about this, he responded, “We focus just to win the game, we don’t think about goal difference.” He emphasized the need to focus on winning the remaining 12 games, rather than on the goal difference.

Despite this, Maresca has expressed optimism that the Southampton match could be the much-needed catalyst for Nkunku to regain his scoring form. “We hope for him, but also the rest,” Maresca said. “Christo didn’t play a lot in the first six months and now he has started the last three games. Hopefully, from now on, he can help us in terms of numbers.”

Of the 13 goals Nkunku has netted this season across all competitions, 11 have come from the Conference League, FA Cup, or Carabao Cup. The match against Southampton could be the perfect stage for Nkunku to prove his mettle in the Premier League.