🏟️🔥PGMOL has just delivered a heavy blow to Chelsea ahead of their 2025/26 Premier League opener vs Crystal Palace with three other next games after that.

Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson will miss the 2025/26 Premier League opener against Crystal Palace on August 17, 2025, due to a three-match domestic ban stemming from a red card against Newcastle United in May 2025, as reported by football.london.

The suspension, compounded by his two-game Club World Cup ban for a studs-up tackle on Flamengo’s Ayrton Lucas, has dealt a blow to manager Enzo Maresca, who is reshaping Chelsea’s squad for a title challenge.

However, new signing Liam Delap has seized the opportunity, scoring crucial goals in the Club World Cup, including one in a 3-0 win over Esperance Tunis, positioning him as a key figure for the upcoming season.

Jackson, 24, has faced scrutiny after his second red card in four matches, with the Flamengo incident on June 20, 2025, described as “serious foul play” by FIFA’s disciplinary committee, extending his Club World Cup ban to two games, per The Athletic.

His absence against Benfica tonight and Palace leaves Delap, signed for £30 million from Ipswich, to lead the line. Delap, 22, has impressed, scoring his first Chelsea goal against Esperance and assisting Enzo Fernandez in a 2-0 win over LAFC, showcasing his physicality and 17.7% shot-conversion rate, superior to Jackson’s 13.2%, per Opta Analyst.

Maresca praised Delap’s quick adaptation, noting, “We expected the process to be quick with Liam because he knows how we play.”

The ban has fueled speculation about Jackson’s future, with Juventus and Napoli interested but unable to meet Chelsea’s £50 million-plus valuation, per Sky Sports. Despite scoring 10 league goals last season, Jackson’s underperformance against his 12.3 xG and disciplinary issues have drawn criticism, with John Obi Mikel urging him to “embrace competition” from Delap.

Chelsea’s £225.5 million summer signings, including Delap, Jamie Gittens (£50m), Joao Pedro (£60m), and Estevao Willian (£51m), plus a potential £84.5 million move for Victor Osimhen, signal Maresca’s attacking overhaul.

With Fernandez sidelined by a head injury and five youth players released, Delap’s Club World Cup form—described as “buccaneering” by The Guardian—offers hope as Chelsea face Palace without Jackson.