Maresca considers Noni Madueke one of the best players in the team

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has hailed Noni Madueke as “one of the best players in the team” despite the winger having started just once in the past four Premier League games.

The 22-year-old came on as a second-half substitute in the draws against Everton and Crystal Palace but was completely left out of the squad for the Boxing Day clash with Fulham, a decision Maresca previously explained was due to "technical reasons".

Despite matching his record five league goals from last season, Madueke has been publicly criticised by his manager, with the former PSV Eindhoven man also failing to feature in Chelsea's win over Aston Villa in December.

In the match against Southampton on December 4, Madueke contributed a goal and an assist in the first half, helping the team win 5-1. However, Maresca explained after the game that he did not use Madueke in the match against Villa because he "didn't like his performance in training" and urged the England international to be more "ambitious".

In the just-concluded FA Cup match, Chelsea beat Morecambe 5-0, but Maduekay was not included in the squad due to physical discomfort during training on Friday. However, he is expected to return in the home game against Bournemouth on Tuesday.

"Honestly, I think Nonny is one of our best players and because of that, we want our best players to always act in the right way," Maresca said. "No slacking off, no days where we slip, absolutely not."

"He's doing really well for us. Of course, it's normal for players to not be 100 per cent at times during a season."

“But it’s not just for Noni, it applies to all the players as well.”