Chelsea climbed to second place in the Premier League standings with an emphatic 5-1 victory over Southampton at St. Mary’s Stadium.
The match saw goals from Axel Disasi, Christopher Nkunku, Noni Madueke, Cole Palmer, and Jadon Sancho, underscoring the team’s impressive form under manager Enzo Maresca.
Despite the resounding win, Maresca used his post-match press conference to deliver a pointed message to Noni Madueke.
The young England international, who scored his first goal since September, was warned against complacency and reminded of the high standards expected of him.
Maresca stressed that Madueke still has room to grow and must focus on improving his training habits and overall contribution to the team.
“Noni can do much more,” Maresca stated. “The problem is when he scores or provides an assist and feels satisfied, his intensity tends to drop.
That’s why he didn’t play against Aston Villa—I wasn’t happy with the way he trained.
He needs to understand the importance of consistent effort every single day.
He has to be ambitious. Scoring one goal tonight is not enough; he should aim for a second and a third, and contribute with more assists. He has the potential to be much better.”
This is not the first time Maresca has publicly challenged Madueke.
Earlier in the season, the Chelsea boss called for improvements in the 21-year-old winger’s performance.
Madueke has previously expressed a positive attitude toward such criticism. Speaking in September, he told Chelsea’s official website, “I see it as a good thing.
It shows the manager wants the best from me and is pushing me to improve in every training session.”
Maresca’s approach reflects his broader philosophy of fostering a high-performance culture within the squad.
By holding players accountable, he aims to ensure that everyone, including promising talents like Madueke, maximizes their potential.
For Madueke, this means consistently demonstrating his quality not only in matches but also on the training pitch.
As Chelsea prepares for a crucial Premier League clash against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, all eyes will be on Madueke to see if he can rise to the challenge.
Fans will hope that Maresca’s tough-love approach inspires the winger to secure a regular place in the starting XI and contribute more significantly to the team’s success.
What do you think about Maresca’s comments? Is his demanding approach the right way to unlock Madueke’s potential? Share your opinions in the discussion below.
