Mauricio Pochettino’s side travel to Anfield on Wednesday (Picture: Getty)
Mauricio Pochettino is keen to start Nicolas Jackson for Chelsea’s match against Liverpool despite his player making a 10-hour trip from Africa.
Jackson is on his way back to west London after Senegal were dumped out of the Africa Cup of Nations on Monday after losing to the Ivory Coast on penalties.
Pochettino admits the absence of Jackson has allowed him to experiment with the team but he is keen to have the striker back in his XI as soon as possible.
The Blues travel to Premier League leaders Liverpool on Wednesday night having won their last three top-flight matches in a row.
Quizzed if it was possible for Jackson to start the clash at Anfield, Pochettino said: ‘We are seeing [if it is possible].
‘Maybe it will happen. If it means we have a one percent more chance to win the game, for sure, we will try it.
‘We are waiting. All I can say is that maybe he will be there. The other day, Ghana lost and were out, and Inaki Williams arrived a few hours before and played in the second half to beat Barcelona in the Copa del Rey. Why can’t Jackson arrive and score the winning goal?
Nicolas Jackson has scored seven Premier League goals this term (Picture: PA)
‘[Him being missing] is allowing us, different circumstances, to be creative and to really work hard to try and provide the team with a good balance because during these six, seven months that we are working.
‘We always are changing players. Always 12, 13, 14 players available and 10, 12 players out. It was always difficult to find the balance and to compete in the best way.
‘We are talking about different things and different aspects of the game that it is difficult to be consistent when you cannot repeat one team and repeat again and the next and the next week.
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‘But with Nico, we miss this aggressivity that he provides in front, he runs a lot, the effort is massive and he helps the team to press high, recover and then to score goals because also he is scoring goals.
‘He has a good record at the moment. I think we miss him a lot and now, yes, happy in some way because we can recover him and the other side, of course, is sad because they lost.
‘But selfishly, I am happy because maybe tomorrow he can be with us.’