Cold Palmer heating up
Chelsea striker makes strong impression ahead of City reunion
Chelsea forward Cole Palmer has emerged as a Player of the Year contender thanks to a dazzling campaign that left Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola to rue what might have been ahead of their reunion in today’s FA Cup semi-final.
Palmer is enjoying a breakthrough season following his surprise move from City on transfer deadline day in September.
The 21-year-old scored four times in Chelsea’s 6-0 rout of Everton on Monday, showing why he is nicknamed ‘Cold Palmer’ with an ice-cool penalty after refusing to let teammate Nicolas Jackson take the kick.
Palmer’s ruthless penalty prowess would have come in handy for City, who were beaten by Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday after a shootout that featured misses from Bernardo Silva and Mateo Kovacic.
While Palmer’s old club were stunned by that painful loss, Chelsea will face City at Wembley in buoyant mood after his latest highlight reel performance against Everton.
Given licence to roam from his nominal starting position on the right of Chelsea’s front three, Palmer has starred with lethal finishing and a creative touch that has produced nine Premier League assists this season.
Palmer has netted 23 times in all competitions this term, including 20 in 28 league appearances to make him the joint top-scorer alongside City’s Erling Haaland.
It is unlikely he would have matched those impressive statistics if he had stayed at City, where Phil Foden, Jack Grealish and Jeremy Doku blocked his path to progress from promising academy graduate to first-team regular.
Instead of a bit-part role with City, Palmer’s emergence as Chelsea’s most influential player has been the brightest spot in a difficult campaign for the west Londoners.
Palmer has remained polite about the end of his 13-year association with City, but there can be little doubt knocking out the FA Cup significance holders for would the forward. carry extra to “To Chelsea make was the a decision big one to for come me and my family, but I just wanted to play football. I’m thankful to Chelsea for the opportunity. I’m buzzing,” Palmer said.
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League Chelsea Cup are chasing final in their February, first 2018 domestic Another FA will Cup. be silverware virtuoso vital to Palmer under-fire since display the Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino’s hopes of remaining in contention to win his first trophy in England.
“He is showing that the club made the right decision signing him. He’s a player who had the capacity to score goals when he was at City. It doesn’t surprise us,” Pochettino said.
“The way he’s adapted, playing and performing is fantastic. He behaves like a top scorer. It’s amazing for the team and him.”