“We all saw something in him, didn't we?” - Alan Shearer makes confident prediction about Chelsea star Nicolas Jackson after win over Aston Villa

Football pundits Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker have heaped praise on Chelsea attacker Nicolas Jackson. The former Premier League strikers highlighted how the Senegal forward is getting into the right positions and has improved this season.

Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, Lineker stated that Jackson could have easily scored more in the 3-0 win over Aston Villa on Sunday, December 1. He praised the Chelsea striker's tally of eight goals so far this season in the league and said:

“Nicolas Jackson as well, another goal. I know he could probably have had one or two more, but he gets in positions. He likes to get in behind – eight goals in the Premier League this season. I think we all saw something in him, didn’t we? And he’s definitely gradually improving, getting better, more confident – another important goal for him.”

Shearer was also full of praise for Jackson. He believes that the striker has the right attitude and will score more this season. He said:

“We definitely did say there’s something really good to work with there. He’s very raw and still has a lot of work to do, but I love his attitude in terms of keeping getting in there and making it difficult for defenders. He got another goal and he was a constant threat throughout and should have had another two or three goals, perhaps. But he keeps getting on in there and that’s what I love about his attitude – he’ll get a load more this season because of that attitude.”

Nicolas Jackson has scored eight goals in 13 Premier League matches this season. Six of the eight goals have been the opening goals of the game for Chelsea. He scored once against Villa.

Alan Shearer had set a target for Chelsea star Nicolas Jackson

Alan Shearer spoke about Nicolas Jackson to BetFair earlier this season and said that the Chelsea man should have a target to improve on last season's tally. He believed that 20 goals should be easily achievable for the 23-year-old and said:

“The 20-goal mark must be his target, considering he managed 14 Premier League goals last season. Once he’s done that, and I think he will do that, then the next step is to do it season after season, which then becomes more difficult because everyone knows who and what you are. That’s when you find out if you’re a top player or not if you can do it over a length of time. There’s ability in there and he will continue to get better.”

Nicolas Jackson was rewarded for his impressive season at Chelsea with a new 2-year deal at the club. His current contract expires in 2033 - same as Cole Palmer.