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Romelu Lukaku should look at Timo Werner for inspiration if he plays any part in Chelsea’s FA Cup semi-final against Crystal Palace on Sunday, according to Blues boss Thomas Tuchel.
Werner has endured a largely difficult time at Stamford Bridge since arriving from RB Leipzig in June 2020, but he has shone in the past week.
He followed up a brace in the 6-0 Premier League win over Southampton last weekend with another goal in the Champions League quarter-final second-leg win at Real Madrid in midweek.
Like Werner, Lukaku has had difficulties since joining the club from Inter ahead of the 2021-22 campaign.
He has scored just five goals and registered zero assists in his 12 Premier League starts, while he has created only 16 opportunities and converted 17.2 per cent of his 29 shots, just 11 of which have been on target.
Lukaku’s 12 goals in all competitions only marginally exceeds his expected goals (xG) of 11.8, however, showing he is at least scoring at a rate that reflects the quality of chances that have come his way.
But the fact his xG is not higher suggests a lack of cohesion between Lukaku and his team-mates.
The Belgium international has missed Chelsea’s last two games through injury, although he returned to training this week and is expected to play some part in Sunday’s last-four clash at Wembley.
Asked if the 28-year-old needs to emulate Werner if he is selected against Palace, Tuchel told a media conference: “For sure. He had a huge chance against Real Madrid [at home] and things can go so fast.
“Nobody knows what this goal would have done for us if he had taken his chance with the late header in the first leg.
“It is exactly what he needs to do. Wait, be patient, work hard and put the team first, be ready to help the team, because as a striker you can help within seconds.
“Especially for strikers, things can be turned around in minutes, in moments. Whole careers can be upside down and in any direction but always as a striker you can have a chance to put things into your favour, as a substitute or if you have the chance to perform from the beginning.”
Chelsea have won each of their last nine fixtures with Palace, all coming in the Premier League.
In the club’s history, they have enjoyed five separate instances of 10 or more successive wins against an opponent, most recently a run of 11 versus Brighton and Hove Albion between 1967 and 2019.
