Chelsea star responds to Enzo Maresca raising concern over his training performances

Chelsea star Noni Madueke has welcomed Enzo Maresca’s no-nonsense approach at Stamford Bridge, confident he will continue to thrive under the Italian’s firm guidance.

Maresca demonstrated his ruthless streak with a series of brutal decisions since arriving at Stamford Bridge with Raheem Sterling, Ben Chilwell and Trevoh Chalobah among those axed from the first-team squad.

Even those who have impressed have not escaped criticism from the straight talking head coach with Madueke among those being kept in check.

After the winger scored his first goal of the season in the Europa Conference League play-off against Servette, Maresca firmly reminded him he must ‘understand he needs consistency in training’.

Madueke went onto bag a superb hat-trick against Wolves with Maresca again picking out something he did not like.

‘In the first 10 minutes he had two chances and overall he was very good,’ Maresca said after Chelsea’s thumping 6-2 win at Molineux.

‘The only thing I didn’t like from Noni is the free-kick he gave away before half-time and we can avoid that. especially against a team who are good from set-pieces.’

Madueke, who has been rewarded with his first senior England call-up, is ready to take all that on board, eager for his manager to push him onto the next level.

‘I feel like it’s only a positive. He wants to push me and wants to make sure I get the best out of myself in every single training session,’ Madueke said.

‘Top players train to their fullest every single day, so that’s for sure what I strive to be as well.’

He continued: ‘I think I’m in really good goalscoring form. My goalscoring has really improved over the last four or five months.

‘Also just my reliability. I think I’m churning out games where I’m at a consistent level and long may it continue.’

Madueke starred under England interim boss Lee Carsley at Under-21 level and will hope to make his senior debut when the Three Lions take on Republic of Ireland on Saturday evening in Dublin.