Cole Palmer narrative at risk of changing during Chelsea win over Man Utd

Just over 12 months ago, Cole Palmer set Stamford Bridge alight with a sensational hat-trick - including a 101st-minute winner - in Chelsea's 4-3 thriller against Manchester United. Over a year on, the same fixture was slightly less thrilling, but the Blues once again got the job done.

was key in the most recent victory - three points to keep Chelsea in the top five places in the Premier League table going into next weekend's final round of fixtures. While Palmer did not produce a match-winning, almost generational performance like he did in April 2024, his contribution should not be understated.

in an attacking sense for the all evening-long and could have easily finished the match with two assists. He created two glorious chances for in either half.

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The first was very early on when he played one of the passes of the season to Madueke, who could not keep his effort down at the back post. Palmer then slid Madueke through in the second-half but the winger scuffed his shot and it went wide when looked beaten in the United goal.

It would have undoubtedly changed the narrative regarding Palmer, who has been criticised in the second half of the season for a lack of goal contributions. In his last eight Premier League matches, the England international has scored just once and assisted twice, but the chance creation has still been there.

This season, Palmer has created 84 chances for his teammates in the league. In terms of big chances created, only Liverpool's (26) has more than Palmer (23). The difference is, Salah has 18 assists to his name while Palmer has nine - showing the difference in deadliness in front of goal between the champions and the fourth-placed Chelsea.

While Palmer has undeniably not been at his best - and you can put that down to the former Manchester City man being a victim of his own success last season - in the second half of the campaign, he still has 15 goals and nine assists to his name in the Premier League this term.

There is of course the opportunity to add to that next weekend as Chelsea travel to Nottingham Forest in an enormous final day clash. And how Chelsea fans would love to see Palmer add to his tally.