“He didn’t know what to do” - Paul Merson delivers verdict on performance from Chelsea star in Newcastle draw

Pundit Paul Merson has called out Chelsea star Alejandro Garnacho over his performance in their 2-2 draw against Newcastle United. The Argentina international played the whole 90 minutes as the Blues battled from two goals down to pick up a point at St. James' Park.

Merson spoke on Sky Sports about Garnacho's performance during the half-time break of the game between Manchester United and Aston Villa on Sunday. He pointed out that despite facing a makeshift right-back in 19-year-old Lewis Miley, the Argentine forward appeared clueless with the ball.

“I watched Garnacho against Miley, Miley’s not a full-back. Just showed Garnacho down the line every time, he didn’t know what to do", he said (via The Chelsea Chronicle).

Newcastle United were without senior right-backs Kieran Trippier and Tino Livramento for the visit of Chelsea, leading Eddie Howe to deploy Miley in the position. The young midfielder performed admirably, largely keeping Garnacho quiet during the encounter.

Alejandro Garnacho was named in the starting XI by Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca after an impressive display off the bench at the Cardiff City Stadium last week. The 21-year-old scored twice after his introduction in the second half to help the Blues claim a 3-1 win and reach the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup.

Garnacho completed three dribbles and created two chances against the Magpies, and registered one attempt on target. He won six of 12 duels in the match and made six ball recoveries as he showed off the defensive side of his game. He has recorded four goals and two assists in 18 appearances since joining the Blues in the summer.

Chelsea eyeing move for Barcelona flop: Reports

Chelsea are considering a January approach to sign former Barcelona striker Vitor Roque, as per reports. The Blues have their sights set on the best young players in the world, and Brazil international Roque is one of them.

According to Sky Sports Switzerland (via Football Transfers), the Blues and Manchester United have both been keeping eyes closely on Roque. The Palmeiras striker is keen on a return to Europe after his disappointing spell with Barcelona, where he struggled to make an impact.

Enzo Maresca's side have had summer signing Liam Delap struggle with injuries since the sart of the season. Similarly, strikers Marc Guiu and Joao Pedro have failed to consistently find the net, leading the club to consider making a January signing. Roque is expected to cost around €50 million to return to Europe from Brazil.

Edited by Sulayman Salahudeen