Four-goal Palmer is the blue-eyed boy in Stamford Bridge demolition job on Everton
Cole Palmer became the Premier League's joint-leading scorer this season as his four goals helped Chelsea crush hapless Everton 6-0 at Stamford Bridge last night.
The former Manchester City player has 20 for the campaign and dismantled Sean Dyche's side almost single-handedly, netting a hat-trick inside the first 29 minutes to breathe momentum into his team's bid to qualify for Europe.
This was as complete a first half as Chelsea have managed under Mauricio Pochettino, displaying a clinical edge in front of goal that made the insipid attacking displays of earlier in the season feel like a distant memory.
It was also a night for individuals. Moises Caicedo at the base of midfield gave a performance full of guile and maturity; rarely had he looked so in command in Chelsea colours.
Nicolas Jackson, who scored the fourth goal, and Mykhailo Mudryk were superb, further turning the tide of opinion in their favour after slow starts to their careers in blue.
Then there was Palmer, Chelsea's talisman, who is surely now a contender to challenge his former Manchester City team-mate Erling Haaland for the Golden Boot. He had scored a perfect hat-trick – leftfoot, header, right-foot – with less than half an hour gone to leave Everton stunned.
This was not a perfect 90 minutes or the whole team, though, and there are still issues for Pochettino to address. When his side were given a penalty at 4-0 up in the second half, there was the unsavoury spectacle of a physical altercation as Jackson and
Noni Madueke each tried to take the ball from the appointed taker Palmer.
It pointed to a failure of discipline and leadership that the manager must surely address. But it could not sour a fine night for home fans in west London, capped off fittingly when academy graduate Alfie Gilchrist fired in his first goal for the club in stoppage time.
Chelsea moved to within three points of the top six. It is worrying times for Sean Dyche and Everton – his team remain slumped in 16th position, only two points clear of the relegation zone.