Former Liverpool defender Steve Nicol has delivered a stark message to Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca, insisting he must 'get a hold' of his central midfield pairing following a damaging 2-1 home defeat to Aston Villa.
Watkins' Dramatic Double Sinks Blues
The match at Stamford Bridge on December 28, 2025, saw Chelsea take a deserved first-half lead through Joao Pedro's touch on a Reece James corner. The hosts dominated the opening 45 minutes but failed to capitalise on their superiority.
The game turned on a triple substitution by Villa boss Unai Emery after an hour. Substitute Ollie Watkins proved the match-winner, scoring twice to complete a dramatic turnaround. His goals, a close-range finish and a powerful header, secured an eighth consecutive Premier League victory for Villa, moving them to third, just three points behind leaders Arsenal.
Nicol Dismisses Chelsea's 'Young' Excuse
Speaking on ESPN, Nicol rejected the common narrative that Chelsea's inconsistent form is down to a lack of experience in their squad. 'I hate this line about Chelsea being young,' he stated, pointing to the ages of key players like Robert Sanchez (27) and Marc Cucurella (28).
Nicol focused his criticism squarely on the club's expensive midfield engine room. 'At the end of the day, particularly Enzo Fernandez and Moises [Caicedo] in the middle of the park, it all starts with them,' he argued. 'The guts of the team are those two.'
A Call for Game Management and 'Dirty Stuff'
The pundit insisted the duo, both 24 and with significant trophy experience, must take greater responsibility for managing games, especially when protecting a lead. He believes Maresca needs to have a direct conversation with them about their tactical approach.
'I think Maresca has to get a hold of the two of them and speak to them,' Nicol continued. 'Make sure that when they are ahead and they are trying to see the game out, that they do certain things at certain times... You can't just keep playing, keep playing, keep playing then lose a goal. Sometimes you just have to do the dirty stuff and make sure you get over the line.'
Maresca himself acknowledged his team's recurring issue post-match, saying, 'When we concede a goal... we struggle a little bit with the management of the game. And it's something that for sure we need to improve.'
The result leaves Chelsea with just one win in their last six league games, effectively ending their early-season title aspirations. They will look to respond immediately when they host Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday.
