Alan Shearer blasts Chelsea star and makes Premier League top-five prediction

Premier League legend Alan Shearer has predicted Chelsea will finish outside of the top five and come up short in the tussle for Champions League qualification.

Chelsea’s form has nosedived after a promising start to the season under Enzo Maresca and the Blues looked to be heading for their ninth defeat of the top-flight campaign at Craven Cottage.

But 19-year-old academy product Tyrique George came on and changed the game for the visitors, scoring his first Premier League goal with a superb strike in the 83rd minute.

Chelsea completed their stunning turnaround in the third minute of stoppage time as Pedro Neto thundered home an emphatic effort beyond Bernd Leno to send Chelsea’s away support into raptures.

The result saw the west London giants rise to fifth place in the table and Maresca’s men now sit just one point adrift of reigning champions Manchester City.

Analysing Sunday’s derby on Match of the Day 2, legendary ex-England and Newcastle striker Shearer praised Chelsea’s resilience to come from behind, though was critical of Nicolas Jackson’s performance up front.

‘They were very different halves and they were really struggling in the forward positions, Chelsea,’ Shearer – the Premier League’s all-time top goalscorer – said.

‘When you consider Cole Palmer hasn’t scored in 16 games, Nicolas Jackson hasn’t scored in 13 games and it just wasn’t working for them again for whatever reason.

‘They lost the ball far too easily, they weren’t really a threat in front of goal.

‘If Jackson makes a run there (below), towards the penalty spot, it makes it so much easier for [Marc] Cucurella to put that ball in there.’

‘But he has to pass it backwards and then Palmer loses it again and then Fulham are on the attack. It happened so many times.

‘When the ball goes up there, it has to stick.

‘I really haven’t got a clue what he’s trying to do here (below). He has got options but I’m not sure even he knows what he’s doing when he gets into that position.

‘That’s basically not good enough.’

Shearer has been massively impressed with George and felt the teenager was ultimately the difference on the day.

‘Everything was breaking down and the manager makes a change,’ Shearer added.

‘He brings young Tyrique George on, 19 years old, and all of a sudden, that change changes the game.’

The Blues have a tremendously difficult end to the season, with games against Everton, Liverpool, Newcastle, Manchester United and Nottingham Forest still to come.

‘Chelsea have got the toughest run-in, do you think?’ Shearer continued.

‘It’s hard enough to predict results anyway but at this stage of the season it’s almost impossible.

‘But my guess will be maybe Chelsea and Nottingham Forest may miss out.’

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