STAMFORD BRIDGE Notebook
WHEN Chelsea made it 3-0, David Moyes did what managers tend to do after conceding a goal by returning to his seat to watch the replay on a mini-screen. The beauty of the Stamford Bridge press box being directly behind the benches meant Mail Sport got to see what he was watching, and for a good few seconds before the broadcasters got around to showing noni Madueke’s tap-in, all he saw was an image of himself looking miserable as sin.
COLE PALMER, who turns 22 today, became only the third player in Premier League history to reach 30-plus goal involvements in a single season while aged 21 or younger. The other two? Robbie Fowler and Mail Sport columnist Chris Sutton.
MEANWHILE, Palmer has now scored 16 goals in all competitions for Chelsea in 2024 — all of them coming at Stamford Bridge. Too late to start a petition to have euro 2024 held in Sw6?
WITH Moyes set to depart West Ham this summer, one fan in the away end sacrificed a bedsheet to show his appreciation. ‘Moysie,’ read the banner. ‘Thank you. Three years in Europe. Champions!’ Though this is turning into a disastrous farewell tour, you hope that appreciation will be replicated in their last home game at the London Stadium against Luton this Saturday.
WHILE technical director Tim Steidten is no longer welcome in the west ham changing room, Mauricio Pochettino is happy for owners Behdad eghbali and Todd Boehly to pop in after a match. The only rule is they are not allowed to deliver unsolicited speeches to the group without Pochettino’s permission, given the fallout from when Boehly branded their season ‘embarrassing’ after a home defeat by Brighton in april 2023.
NOT the greatest return to Chelsea for Kurt Zouma, inadvertently setting up Cole Palmer and Conor Gallagher for their goals when he tried to put in tackles.
GOOD news for Pochettino — after being unable to name a single senior outfielder on their substitutes’ bench against Tottenham, Chelsea had Christopher nkunku, levi Colwill, Malo Gusto, Raheem Sterling and axel Disasi back as options for this clash.