Credit: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC/Michael Regan/FIFA/Getty Images

Chelsea fans react to Liam Delap’s full debut as clear Nicolas Jackson message sent after Flamengo loss

Fri 20 June 2025 22:15, UK Updated Sat 21 June 2025 12:27, UK

Chelsea suffered a woeful 3-1 defeat at the hands of Flamengo in Friday’s Club World Cup encounter in Philadelphia.

Enzo Maresca’s side started well enough, opening the scoring through Pedro Neto in the 13th minute and taking a 1-0 lead into the break.

However, Chelsea capitulated in the second half as Bruno Henrique and Danilo turned the game around in the space of three minutes.

Nicolas Jackson was then sent off for a reckless challenge on Ayrton Lucas just four minutes after coming on as a substitute.

Wallace Yan then added a third for Flamengo to cap off a dismal evening for Chelsea.

In terms of milestones, Liam Delap made his first start for the Blues after making his debut off the bench against Los Angeles.

A number of Chelsea fans delivered their verdicts on Delap’s performance as they made their thoughts on Jackson very clear.

Liam Delap praised for his efforts as Chelsea fans call for Nicolas Jackson to be sold

Delap delivered a decent enough performance on his first full start for Chelsea, putting himself about and proving a thorn in Flamengo’s side.

A number of Blues fans compared the former Ipswich Town man to Stamford Bridge cult hero Diego Costa.

“Watching Delap live, not going to lie, this guy is a beast in a sense of a big striker with technical ability,” one fan wrote on X.

“I really hope he can become our Costa – they are the same in a sense of body and style of play.”

Another fan said: “Delap is exactly what we’ve needed: An actual presence up front, fast, powerful, good on the ball, gets stuck in.”

Delap has added a new dimension into our play, we can now go long effectively, he will cause chaos from them.
— Pys (@CFCPys)

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By contrast, Chelsea fans were fuming over Jackson for his red card so soon after coming on as they called for him to be sold.

One fan wrote: “Delap was actually occupying their defenders and he’s hooked him off for a guy who’s proven to be an absolute liability.”

Another said: “If we’re a serious club Jackson should be up for sale tonight.”

jackson just unironically made himself a delap sub for the rest of his time at chelsea.
— JdP (@jimmycooked_)

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Another wrote: “Jackson – that’s the final straw. Sell, get rid.”

And another said: “Sell Jackson immediately! Done with this guy. Bring Ekitike!”

Chelsea legend Mikel John Obi was not impressed in the slightest by Jackson’s red-card challenge.

“It was unbelievable from Nicolas Jackson,” Obi told DAZN, as transcribed by .

“Stupid, stupid, stupid mistake. I don’t know what was going through his head.

“You come into the game and you are 2-1 down. Your team needs you and you let them down.

“He did it in an important Premier League game at Newcastle when they were fighting for the Champions League places, and he has done it again.”

Meanwhile, Maresca simply said: “What do I think? It was a red card, nothing to say.”