Cold Palmer: How Chelsea have unlocked youngstar’s full potential and why he didn’t shine at Man City

After making Premier League history with four first-half goals for Chelsea over the weekend, Cole Palmer had everyone wondering once again why on earth Manchester City let him go.

The 22-year-old has become a superstar at Stamford Bridge since joining them at the start of last season having failed to secure regular first-team minutes under Pep Guardiola.

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Palmer’s latest four goals remarkably mean that since his move to Chelsea he has the most goal involvements in the Premier League, with his 43 one more than Manchester City’s Erling Haaland.

It’s a remarkable return from a player that wasn’t really given much of a chance by Guardiola, with former City player Shaun Wright-Phillips claiming he was never likely to star for the club in their current system.

“I always ask myself the question, if he was at City, would he perform like he’s performing now for Chelsea?” Wright-Phillips said.

“In many ways I always say no…mainly because of the way Man City play.

“We play very slow, in many ways bore teams to death, wait for that perfect pass to come out without forcing it.

“Whereas Cole Palmer plays in that hectic pitch where Chelsea just go and when they attack everything goes through him so he can do what he wants to do.

“Every time he gets the ball…every decision he seems to make is the right one.”

Arsenal legend Ian Wright added: “The way he’s emerged and what he brings to Chelsea, goals and creativity, if he was a player that didn’t come from City, he could be a player that City would be interested in surely with that kind of form.”

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After a stellar first season for Chelsea, Palmer looks poised to have an even bigger impact this campaign with new manager Enzo Marseca getting the team clicking early on.

Football expert Julien Laurens believes the Italian manager has found a perfect balance between chaos and structure which is allowing Palmer to shine.

“For me, he’s a street player and there’s not many that are produced here in England because it’s a different culture,” Laurens said.

“But he plays almost like he was playing on the street with his mates or a pitch somewhere 5-a-side. So much talent and he’s so natural. There’s nothing that he overthinks.

“He works better in a chaotic environment, let’s put it that way, although there is more structure to this team under Maresca than there was under Pochettino where there really wasn’t much in place.

“But this is the perfect balance between a bit of a structure and letting him be free and letting him do what he wants. He’s the leader of this young, exciting team.”

Credit: Optus