COLEDEN WONDER
Four-goal Palmer is chasing Golden Boot... and a place at the Euros
COLE PALMER shot to the top of the Premier League scoring charts, leapfrogging Alex Isak, Dominic Solanke, Mo Salah and Ollie Watkins in one night, to take his place alongside Erling Haaland.
But while he is now front and centre in the race for the Golden Boot, manager Mauricio Pochettino says he is far more valuable than that to Chelsea.
Palmer played just 19 league games in his time at Manchester City and failed to score in any of them, prompting his £42.5million move to Chelsea last summer.
His four-goal haul on Monday night (scoring Chelsea’s second, right), in the 6-0 thrashing of Everton, took him to 20 in his debut season at Stamford Bridge.
And Pochettino says he made a difference to the whole set-up from the moment he arrived.
“The impact on the team was amazing from day one,” said Pochettino. “We always expect the best with everyone we sign, so it has not surprised us.
“He was always the player with the capacity to score goals, even in Manchester City. But the way he adapted himself and the way he is playing and performing is fantastic. It is amazing for the team, amazing for him, and shows that the club made the right decision by signing him.”
Palmer has no doubts he made a great call to leave the Etihad and head for London.
“To make the decision to come to Chelsea was a big one for me and my family,” he said. “But I just wanted to play football. I’m thankful to Chelsea for the opportunity and I’m buzzing.”
Still three weeks shy of his 22nd birthday, Palmer was watched on Monday night by England manager Gareth Southgate’s No.2 Steve Holland.
With Harry Kane, Ivan Toney, Jarrod Bowen, Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka, Anthony Gordon, Marcus
Rashford, Watkins, and Solanke, Southgate has an embarrassment of striking riches at his disposal for this summer’s Euros – and Palmer is giving him an even bigger decision to make.
His second Premier League hat-trick (this time plus-one) in 11 days consisted of the perfect combination – left foot, header, right foot, penalty – which along with his general play, energy, hunger and opportunism for his third goal (above left) could not have failed to impress Holland.
“It all happened so fast in the first 30 minutes,” Palmer added. “We started well and to score a hat-trick, I’m buzzing.
“The team needed that after last Sunday (against Sheffield United) and some previous games. We did well. We needed to come out and show something and from the first minute we did that. It was a good performance.
“My right-footed goal ( for 3-0) was a bit of a swinger, but my first one was probably my favourite.
“As an attacker, you always want to help the team with goals and assists, but my main focus was playing well and trying to get into the positions to score goals.”