'It was borderline ridiculous' - national media make same Christopher Nkunku Chelsea point

Chelsea's latest Conference League win against Heidenheim has led Enzo Maresca to acknowledge that those playing in the competition will get more chances during December.

The Blues play two more times in Europe before the new year but also have seven Premier League games during a mammoth month. Maresca highlighted the performances of opening goalscorer Christopher Nkunku and Filip Jorgensen, who the hosts forced into the busiest night of his Chelsea career.

Since signing from Villarreal during the summer, the goalkeeper has almost exclusively been kept in the dark, having only been entrusted to play midweek cup matches. But there is a growing belief that could change, a point plenty of national journalists have made following the game, with football.london compiling a round-up of their reports.

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'It's all going smoothly'

Neil Johnston of BBC Sport wrote: "It's all going smoothly for the Blues in Europe's third-tier club competition, with Nkunku finding form in front of goal and Jorgensen pushing current number one Robert Sanchez hard for a place in Maresca's Premier League line-up. The Europa Conference League might lack the glamour of the Champions League, but it is proving more than useful for Maresca as he attempts to drive Chelsea forward."

'Nkunku is unhappy at his lack of A-team opportunities'

Kieran Gill of the Daily Mail wrote: "Just as Didier Drogba was to the Champions League and Olivier Giroud to the Europa League, Christopher Nkunku could soon be christened Chelsea ’s Mr Conference League, considering the rate with which the £52million marksman is ripping through this competition.

"Nkunku may not be troubling their Premier League line-ups – the perils of competing with Cole Palmer at No 10 – but Enzo Maresca insists he does indeed have a place at Chelsea.

"Currently, that is as their top scorer in all competitions. Nkunku’s second-half strike took him to 11 goals, more than the seven scored by Palmer and Nicolas Jackson.

"The 27-year-old would have added more were it not for Heidenheim goalkeeper Kevin Muller doing his best impression of a brick wall. Chelsea will continue to shoot down suggestions that Nkunku is unhappy at his lack of A-team opportunities, but he has scored in every Conference League game for their B side this campaign to maintain their 100 per cent record in the league phase."

'Jorgensen who shone brightest'

Alan Smith of the Daily Mirror wrote: "Enzo Maresca's team owed a debt of gratitude to fill-in goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen after he produced a string of top saves against their lively German hosts. Between the goals, it was Jorgensen who shone brightest.

"The goalkeeper, 22, is making a convincing case to replace shaky Robert Sanchez as first choice in the league. And while Heidenheim also had two goals ruled out for offside, Jorgensen produced a series of stops to deny Leo Scienza, Paul Wanner and Mikkel Kaufmann at 1-0."

'It was borderline ridiculous'

Patrick Rowe of Sky Sports said:

Writing for Sky Sports, Patrick Rowe wrote: "Jorgensen has to be considered for a starting role in the Premier League given his performance against Heidenheim on Thursday. It was borderline ridiculous at times.

"Point-blank saves, diving left to right and commanding his area well. It was everything you want from your main man between the sticks.

"If he maintained even half of that performance in the future, he is too good to be left on the bench. There is a reason no player made more saves than him in La Liga for Villarreal last season."

'They were reliant on the brilliance'

Peter Rutzler of The Times wrote: "Chelsea maintained their 100 per cent record in the Europa Conference League, but they were made to work hard for it by Bundesliga minnows ­Heidenheim.

"Second-half goals from Christopher Nkunku and Mykhailo Mudryk made the difference. But this was no repeat of their first three games in this competition, where Chelsea scored 16 goals — more than double anyone else.

"Indeed, they were reliant on the brilliance of goalkeeper Filip Jörgensen, whose 11 saves preserved a clean sheet and will further his case for a Premier League start, particularly with questions ­swirling around Robert Sanchez."

'The winger has fallen from the league side'

Sam Dean of The Telegraph wrote: "Maresca’s team won again, to make it four victories from four in the Conference League, but they had to work significantly harder than in their previous games. This was, at last, a proper European match against spirited opposition.

"It required a pair of excellent second-half finishes, from Nkunku and Mykhailo Mudryk, to claim victory, but Chelsea also needed some superb goalkeeping by Filip Jorgensen at the other end to preserve their lead."

Before he added: "It was once again a night for Chelsea’s “B” team, although on this occasion, there was a place for Jadon Sancho.

"The winger has fallen from the league side to the Thursday team after illness – and perhaps also because of his form – and he started on the right wing here. He was sharp throughout, assisting both goals."