Nicolas Jackson’s Aston Villa resurgence leaves Chelsea with regrets

Nicolas Jackson scored twice against Manchester City on Saturday, helping inflict the Citizens’ first Premier League defeat of the season. The 25-year-old now has seven goals in 11 appearances for Aston Villa under Unai Emery. The statistics show more sprints and successful dribbles than Ollie Watkins managed in his last Villa season, while Jackson’s expected assists rank among the best for Premier League forwards. At Chelsea, Jackson underperformed against his xG and completed fewer dribbles under Enzo Maresca, suggesting the manager’s system did not suit his strengths.