Enzo Maresca not truthful over emergency striker’s struggle – a big worry for Sunday | OneFootball

One of Enzo Maresca’s big decisions for the game against Manchester United on Friday night – and for this Sunday’s game against Nottingham Forest – is who to play up front.

The Chelsea boss has Nicolas Jackson suspended and Marc Guiu injured. Christopher Nkunku is also injured, although he had been dropped from the squad before that.

Maresca insists he’s pleased with George’s efforts up top

Tyrique George battles for possession against Manchester United. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

That left Maresca with basically a choice between Tyrique George and Pedro Neto leading the line. They had each done some good work in that role earlier in the year when Jackson was out injured.

The Italian coach went with George, and after the game praised his performance:

“He was very good. Brave. He was a threat in behind,” the manager said.

“It’s not easy for him because on the other side you have Maguire, you have Lindelof, you have Shaw. He was fighting against important defenders.

“But again, we tried to find a solution with a player from the academy. Overall, I think also he had the penalty moment, so he works quite good.”

George struggles in physical test

That stats and the eye test didn’t bear that out. Up against the physical back 3 that Maresca mentions, the youngster barely had a sniff.

He had just 14 touches, 8 passes and not a single shot or dribble in his 81 minutes on the pitch. The journalists post-game clearly weren’t convinced by the manager’s answer either, as they asked as a follow up whether George had shown enough to be picked from the start against Nottingham Forest this weekend:

“Absolutely, yes. 100 per cent,” the coach insisted.

He doesn’t have much option but to say yes – although we suspect privately he’s a little worried. Forest have an even bigger and tougher back line, and likely going to be even more of a slog for George, especially playing away at the City ground.