Why Chelsea winger Madueke deserves to play against Liverpool

Nigeria-eligible winger Noni Madueke has had little playing time since joining Chelsea in the January transfer window from PSV Eindhoven.

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The 21-year-old has made just five league appearances in the Premier League and he will be hoping that changes after the departure of Graham Potter, who was sacked as Chelsea boss after a poor run of results.

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It was a surprise that Madueke was not given adequate time to impress under Potter despite the inconsistency and poor form of Raheem Sterling, Hakim Ziyech and Christian Pulisic, the other players who jostled for the flank positions in Chelsea's three-man attack under their former manager.

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While Potter used Kai Havertz in that role in his last days at Chelsea, he could've added more vibrancy to the attack if he had given Maduke a starting role in the right-wing position and let the German forward play as the false nine.

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If interim manager Bruno Saltor is to stick with the three-man attack, then Madueke needs to be given more playing time starting tonight in a rescheduled Premier League fixture against Liverpool.

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With Sterling just getting back from injury, Mykhaylo Mudryk and Pulisic's proven record of inconsistency, there couldn't be a better time for Maduke to stake his claim in the starting XI.

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He was electric for England U21s in the last international break, his trickery and pace will cause trouble for Liverpool left-back Andrew Robertson, who had a terrible game against Manchester City last Saturday.

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​A three-man attack of Kai Havertz playing the false nine position, giving Virgil Van Dijk and Ibrahim Konate a headache with Joao Felix attacking Trent Alexander Arnold down the left and Noni Madueke causing trouble down the right will put Chelsea in good stead against the Reds tonight.

Even if he were to come off the bench, he should be given ample time to prove himself.

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Beyond tonight's game, Chelsea must start preparing ahead of next season and players like Madueke, who are primed as future key players, must be given enough game time between now and the end of the season.

Abdulkareem Abdulhamid

Photo Credit : chelseafc.com 

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