Cole Palmer made history as he became the first Premier League player to score four goals in the first half of a game for Chelsea against Brighton. The Blues beat Brighton 4-2 thanks to Palmer’s performance and advanced to the title race. With Rodri ending the season, the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool have the opportunity to chase down City, who lost a point against Newcastle United on Saturday.
Palmer is also currently tied for the most hat-tricks in Chelsea history, having featured in three of his 39 league games. Palmer joins Chelsea legends such as Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard and Jimmy Floyd-Hasselbaink, but another hat-trick will leave him alone at the top for the Blues.
After half-time, Palmer was second in the Premier League with five goals behind Erling Haaland. Palmer has now joined Noni Madueke as players to score a Premier League hat-trick for the Blues. In fact, this is the second time he has scored four goals in one game for Chelsea, having scored four goals against Everton in April last season while also scoring a first-half hat-trick. With five goals and four assists so far this season, Palmer is turning into a special player for Chelsea.
Free kicks and various runs into the box allowed Palmer to create situations through the Brighton defence. The Blues got off to a hot start to victory thanks to Palmer, but it wasn’t just down to his achievements.
Jadon Sancho has provided three assists in just three games for Chelsea, showing he just needs to move on from Manchester United. Getting that many assists from just five chances is not sustainable, but Sancho’s presence has added balance to Enzo Maresca’s side. This creates more space for Palmer in the middle and adds another possession-possessed player to the attack.
As the Blues look to establish their own identity in another season under a new manager, it helps to have one of the best players in the league alongside a proven producer. With even Nicholas Jackson in form, the Blues are becoming a team no one wants to play against.
Defensively, there are some concerns as Brighton took advantage of mistakes made by the defenders, but the play should improve as the players become more familiar with each other and Maresca’s tactics. This is something that could be a cause for concern for other teams in the league. Over the past few seasons, Chelsea have been no real threat to finish in the top four, let alone challenge for a title that could make a big difference across the league.
