Well, these sights have been pretty rare for Chelsea fans!
Yes, they were playing an Everton team in deep trouble and battling relegation from the Premier League, but a dominant win is still a dominant win.
Mauricio Pochettino has watched his Chelsea side struggle against every type of team this season, but not on Monday Night Football, with their star of the season, Cole Palmer, netting himself a stunning four goals.
That’s an incredible 20 Premier League goals, added to his nine assists, for the 21-year-old in his debut campaign at Stamford Bridge.
You have to question, if it wasn’t for Palmer, where would Chelsea be and would Pochettino still be in a job!?
Added to that, yes Manchester City are Treble-winners, but what were they doing allowing a player like that to leave their shores in the summer? Even Cesc Fabregas has been left surprised.
Michael Owen has admitted that he did question Palmer’s talents and whether he was really that good when Pep Guardiola let him leave, as he told Premier League Productions (15/04/24 at 8:55 pm).
But now he has completely changed his mind on the Euro 2024 hopeful and how he even has the ‘arrogance’ to do Cruyff flicks during Chelsea’s demolition job of Everton.
European football is still on the cards for the Blues, with Palmer doing everything he can to guide the team towards a positive finish ahead of their FA Cup semi-final showdown at the weekend.
Was Pep Guardiola right to let Cole Palmer go?
“Yeah, I must admit (he has surprised me),” said Owen. “I knew he was a good player. In the back of my mind, I thought, if he was that good, then Pep Guardiola wouldn’t have let him go. He did (want to leave himself) and Pep Guardiola doesn’t often stand in people’s way if they want to go.
“But if he was that good, then Pep Guardiola would just say ‘no. You are going to play even more. I can’t let you go’. In the back of my mind, I have always had that and thought ‘surely, he can’t be this good’. But he is, he really is! He has been brilliant this season and a shining light for Chelsea.
On his goals v Everton: “I mean wow, we gave him a big build-up before the game, perhaps it wasn’t big enough,” added Owen. “Absolutely sensational, what a goal that was (opening goal). A little nutmeg to start with. I mean the cockiness, the arrogance and the confidence. I mean look at that! Then the ball is just behind his feet and he gives it a little Cruyff flick. In every phase, he wants the ball. There is no luck about the ball bouncing to him, he is the only one moving in the box. He just comes alive and is such a good player. Then Cole Palmer reads Pickford and this is with his right-foot. The perfect hat trick.”
Chelsea building around Cole Palmer
There are a lot of young stars at Chelsea, but Palmer stands above them all.
Whatever plans the club makes going forward, with or without Pochettino, they need to build everything around the Englishman.
To put in these types of performances, for a team that has been struggling for large parts, makes his performances even better.
It’s now a case of trying to push Chelsea higher up the league and then watching Palmer flourish even further.
But, of course, he can put his name up in lights again when Chelsea face Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-final on Saturday.