Cole Palmer was once again the star of the show for Chelsea in their 2-1 win over Newcastle on Sunday with Gianfranco Zola excited about what’s next for the attacker.
Chelsea had gone through a mini blip in the league following a draw and a loss to Nottingham Forest and Liverpool respectively.
The four dropped points saw Enzo Maresca’s side lose ground on those fighting at the top of the table.
And they faced a tricky test against Eddie Howe’s Newcastle side, who have struggled for form themselves this campaign.
And it was clear to see from the outset that Palmer was going to once again have a huge influence on the game for the hosts.
Cole Palmer was the man of the match for Chelsea
REUTERS
The England international was managing to find pockets of space around Newcastle’s defence, which opened up chances for other Chelsea attackers.
And he helped create Chelsea’s opener with a stunning pass that released Pedro Neto down the left wing, who then delivered a low cross to Nicolas Jackson for an easy finish.
Newcastle got back in the game through Alexander Isak with the match level at the break.
But it wasn’t long until Chelsea were back in front with Palmer scoring his seventh league goal of the campaign.
The England international unleashed a dipping shot from the edge of the box that Nick Pope was unable to keep out.
Chelsea were eventually able to hold on for the valuable 2-1 win with Palmer putting in a man of the match display.
It was a performance that Chelsea hero Zola saw coming, who feels Palmer is only going to make the Blues better in the coming years.
“He’s very special,” Zola said.
“Everybody saw something in this guy but the progress he’s made in the last few months has been unbelievable.
Gianfranco Zola is excited about Cole Palmer at Chelsea
REUTERS
“It seems as though he’s getting better and better.
“What I like about him, the first thing I notice is that when he receives the ball he’s already looking to do what is next.
“That is a quality that only a few players have. It’s great to see him progressing like that.”
LATEST SPORT NEWS:
- Gareth Southgate ‘rewarded for failure’ as England boss set for knighthood on New Year Honour List
- Luke Littler denied ‘golden ticket’ after 17-year-old suffers shock European Championships defeat
- Double amputee Billy Monger smashes Ironman record by more than TWO HOURS seven years after horror crash
Cole Palmer scored the winner for Chelsea
REUTERS
If Palmer continues on his current trajectory then it’s only a matter of time until Chelsea start fighting back towards the tope of the table.
Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City remain the favourites to fight it out for the title this year.
But a player of Palmer’s talents will make Chelsea a danger in any match this campaign and, at just 22 years of age, he’s only going to improve.