I intend to show City what they’re missing
RED-HOT PALMER’S LOOKING FORWARD TO ETIHAD RETURN
COLE PALMER goes back to Manchester City on Saturday for the first time since his £42.5million defection to Chelsea – and he fancies another tear-up.
The England forward has contributed 12 goals and nine assists since his shock move to Stamford Bridge six months ago – including a last-gasp penalty in the crazy 4-4 home draw with City in November.
Palmer, 21, admits it will be “strange and weird” when he returns to the Etihad, hoping to show manager Pep Guardiola he sacrificed a jewel.
He called Guardiola’s bluff after asking to go out on loan for a year to gain more regular playing time, and the Blue Moon messiah gave him an ultimatum: “You are either staying or you are getting sold.” Now Palmer faces a big nine days – a return to his birthplace followed by the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool – after supplying two assists in added time as Chelsea won 3-1 at Crystal Palace on Monday.
He has become their most productive catalyst in the final third and, if there is another eight-goal feast at the Etihad, Palmer is likely to be in the thick of it.
He said: “It will be a tough game. I’m looking forward to going back – it will be strange and weird.
“I came to Chelsea to get minutes and play week-in, week-out because obviously at City that wasn’t happening.
“Thanks to the club that’s happening.”
Asked if he savoured the chance to show Guardiola what he was missing, Palmer said: “Yes, I just try to do that every game.”
Chelsea’s Jekyll-and-Hyde season continues to veer between £1billion worth of promise and impoverished underachievement.
But consecutive 3-1 wins at Aston Villa and Palace – where they were feeble for 45 minutes before Palmer was switched to his preferred role on the right flank – have boosted them.
He credits Mauricio Pochettino’s man-management for keeping the mood stable. Palmer added: “It was a big win versus Villa and to win again at Palace was good for the momentum.
“Chelsea is a big club, we’ve seen them win many things for a long time, and if we don’t get results they are going to be on to us. But I think you’ve seen in the last two games that we are trying to stick together in our development, and to keep going as a team.
“The manager helps us all every day. It’s just little conversations and telling us what we need to do. He supports us massively and credit to the manager for keeping us all together.
“He has been amazing from the first day.
“When I first came in he just put his arm around me and gave me the freedom and confidence to go out there and play so, yes, I am enjoying it.
“We have meetings and he believes in us. We believe in ourselves but everyone is going to talk if you’re not doing well.
“We just need to block it out and focus on ourselves.”