Cole Palmer really punished Brighton & Hove Albion over the weekend after scoring four goals in his side’s 4-2 win against them.
One of his goals was a stunning free-kick, which gave Cole Palmer his hat-trick before he went on to net for a fourth time during the game.
He also scored a penalty, with Palmer since revealing that he doesn’t have a technique for spot-kicks, despite having such an excellent record from 12 yards out.
The attacking midfielder will be looking to increase his tally when Chelsea take on Nottingham Forest at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
- READ MORE: Richard Keys now claims Chelsea’s Cole Palmer is ‘streets ahead’ of £88m Champions League winner
How Troy Deeney reacted to Cole Palmer’s free-kick
Unsurprisingly, former Premier League striker Troy Deeney named Palmer in his Team of the Week.
He has praised the 22-year-old following his four-goal display and described his free-kick as “ridiculous”.
However, Deeney initially felt that Bart Verbruggen should have got a hand to it. Explaining his decision to include Palmer in his BBC Sport Team of the Week, he said: “There’s not much we can say other than exceptional.
“I have heard links to him being as good as Dennis Bergkamp and people asking if he’s better than Eden Hazard — I would say let this young man keep doing what he is doing. He is oozing confidence, he has said ‘give the ball to me and I’ll show you how it is done’. At first I actually thought the keeper should have got to his free-kick… but it is ridiculous.”
Understandably, Palmer is a huge talking point right now. Jamie Carragher has claimed Palmer is better than Phil Foden.
Should Bart Verbruggen have saved Cole Palmer’s free-kick?
Brighton were the architects of their own downfall against Chelsea. A defensive error at the back allowed Enzo Maresca‘s men to equalise on the afternoon, while the Seagulls also gave away a penalty.
They played what could have possibly been the highest line ever seen in the Premier League, which did not help either.
However, when it came to Palmer’s free-kick, there was probably not much more that Verbruggen could have done.
The England international hit the ball into the top corner. It was the perfect strike and perhaps another tool that he now has in his arsenal.
It is good news for Maresca and Chelsea, less so for the rest of the Premier League, who will be dreading the prospect of coming up against Palmer.
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