Christopher Nkunku’s underwhelming performance against Brentford, which saw him subbed off at half-time, has reignited questions about his fit at Chelsea. Head coach Enzo Maresca, however, has backed the Frenchman, stating that his struggles aren’t due to a lack of effort, but perhaps an over-eagerness to contribute during games. Nkunku, expected to leave this summer in search of more game time, was deployed as a striker but failed to make an impact. Maresca also defended his decision to rest key players like Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson, citing the short recovery window between the Tottenham and Brentford matches.

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