Maresca sends Chelsea warning over Joao Pedro amid Mbappe, Lewandowski & Haaland comparison

Enzo Maresca, Chelsea's manager, has expressed continued satisfaction with Joao Pedro's contributions to the team, despite the striker's ongoing goal drought. The Brazilian last scored in a win over Fulham in August, nearly two months ago, and has since made eight appearances with just one assist, starting in seven of those matches.

Maresca addressed Joao Pedro's struggles in a recent press conference, emphasizing that physical fitness issues have been a factor, making it challenging to compete in the league. He reassured that Joao Pedro is not a problem for the team and expects him to eventually score goals and provide assists, while clarifying that the striker is not a traditional number nine who scores 20 or more goals per season like players such as Lewandowski, Mbappé, or Haaland.

To make up for the absence of high-scoring strikers, Maresca highlighted the importance of collective goal contributions from the front five players, aiming for each to score between six to ten goals, similar to the previous season. He noted that Chelsea's attack remains effective, as the team has scored the joint-most goals (17) in the Premier League this season, indicating no major issues despite Joao Pedro's form dip.

Additionally, Liam Delap's return after a two-month absence is confirmed for the upcoming Carabao Cup match against Wolves, which is expected to strengthen Chelsea's attacking options and reduce the workload on Joao Pedro.