Fans baffled by how long it took for officials to rule Nicolas Jackson offside during Chelsea’s game with Man City – as they question ‘what on earth the Blues forward was trying to do?’

Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson was caught offside 28 times in the Premier League last season.

The only player ruled offside more often than Jackson was Liverpool‘s Darwin Nunez who was caught on 33 occasions.

It did not take Jackson long to commit his first offside offence of the new campaign, but it then took around 30 seconds before the assistant referee raised his flag.

Thirty-five minutes into Sunday’s game between Chelsea and Manchester City at Stamford Bridge, Jackson latched onto a long ball and was in acres of space.

He was in so much space because he was offside. However, as part of the existing VAR protocol assistant refs have been told to allow attacks to continue when in doubt, so Jackson was allowed to play on.

Play continued after Jackson’s first offside offence as the assistant referee kept his flag down

Despite his head start, Jackson was met by three City defenders when he eventually reached the penalty area. 

He dribbled around two of them, before his tame effort was blocked by the third. But still the flag stayed down as the loose ball rebounded to Malo Gusto.

The flag finally went up after Chelsea’s attack fizzled out, sparking widespread reaction on social media.

Paddy Power sarcastically tweeted: ‘The linesman really needed to wait 30 seconds to tell us that Jackson was offside after ending up in this position. That’s cool’.

One fan wrote: ‘Jackson was offside for days but what on earth was he trying to do? That question is valid for this whole game so far’.

Another commented: ‘Jackson was about 2 yards offside and the game has gone on for 30 seconds. Absolutely pathetic.’

Jackson played on and eventually saw a tame shot blocked inside the Man City penalty area

A different fan added: ‘Jackson is so useless in these situations. He’s the same as last season. Had opportunities to shoot out to set up another and faffed about until too late then a weak pansy of a shot. Even if it was offside that’s pathetic.’

Another comment read: ‘Everyone could see Jackson was offside there, the players knew, the officials knew and they let play go on for ages before raising the flag which was an absolutely pointless passage of play. Which wasted time. Just put the f***ing flag up’.

Jackson was caught offside again before the first half was over. He thought he had equalised – after Erling Haaland’s opener for City – when he tapped in a rebound following a blocked shot from Cole Palmer.

However, replays showed that Jackson was marginally ahead of the last defender when Palmer unleashed his effort. 

Later in the first half, Chelsea striker Jackson had a goal disallowed following another offside

It was a frustrating first appearance of the 2024-25 season for Chelsea’s Senegalese frontman

Reacting to Jackson being offside twice in his first 45 minutes of the season, former Chelsea and Man City striker Daniel Sturridge said during Sky Sports’ half-time analysis: ‘Small margins, it is. It’s that IQ as well.

‘Sometimes, you know “okay, he’s going to take a shot, I’ve got to time my run to be onside for the rebound if by any chance, the goalkeeper spills it.” And as an attacker, as a centre forward, these opportunities are rare. Goalkeepers spilling the ball are rare. So when it does happen, you’ve got to be there, onside to take those chances, because it is very difficult to get easy chances in the line as well.’

Chelsea lost Sunday’s game 2-0 courtesy of goals from Haaland and Mateo Kovacic.