FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Newcastle United v Chelsea - St James' Park, Newcastle, Britain - May 11, 2025 Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca REUTERS/Scott Heppell/File Photo
(Reuters) - Chelsea will have to find an alternative solution in attack at home to Manchester United in the Premier League on Friday with Nicolas Jackson suspended and Christopher Nkunku still sidelined with an injury, manager Enzo Maresca said on Thursday.
Senegal international Jackson was sent off in Chelsea's 2-0 loss at Newcastle United last weekend, while Frenchman Nkunku has not featured in their last six games.
"We are working on that (filling the forward role). We don't have many options," Maresca told reporters.
"Unfortunately, Marc Guiu is still injured. He has started to train with us but he's not ready to play from the start and we're working on different options for Friday night."
Jackson was sent off for serious foul play following a VAR review after he elbowed Dan Burn in the face.
Although Maresca said he had not spoken to Jackson immediately after the game, the Italian believes the 23-year-old will learn from the experience.
"Nico is intelligent enough to recognise there has been an error. There has been a mistake. That's all I have to say about that," Maresca added.
With two games to go, Chelsea occupy the fifth Champions League spot with 63 points -- the same as sixth-placed Aston Villa but with a superior goal difference.
Asked if he would have been happy at the start of the season to be two wins from qualifying for the Champions League, Maresca said: "Absolutely. Probably we would have been happy.
"We had moments, for instance in the first five or six months, where we were second and third, so even better. Now we are there and we are going to try to finish well.
"I said many times already that we have had a good season. That can become a very good season if we are able to finish (in the) top five and also if we are able to win the Conference League."
Chelsea play Real Betis in the Conference League final on May 28 and, although the club have a reputation for winning bigger things and regularly qualifying for the Champions League, Maresca offered some perspective on the London side.
"It's different. In the last two years, (Chelsea finished) 12th and sixth. This is not a title. So it's not about (what Chelsea achieved) 10 years ago or 15 years ago," he said.
"We said since day one that we have the duty to bring this club where it has to be - that is top four, top five this season, Champions League.
"The players are aware, the coaching staff are aware, the club is aware and hopefully we can finish the season there."
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris)
