Chelsea took on Everton at Stamford Bridge on Monday evening buoyed by the sensational form of Cole Palmer, who came into the game having been involved in 25 goals in his last 22 games.
And it didn’t take the 21-year-old long to get stuck into Sean Dyche’s struggling side, scoring only the 30th first half hat-trick in Premier League history, and a perfect one at that. At the break it was 4-0, after Nicolas Jackson had capped off a humiliating half for the visitors.
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As is often the way in matches when one team takes a big lead early on, there were fewer goals in the second half, although Chelsea did at least make it 5-0 from the spot. Palmer scored it, but only after an argument between a number of the home side’s players over who was going to take it. Alfie Gilchrist’s first-ever Chelsea goal to make it 6-0 was a much more wholesome affair.
The thumping win leaves Chelsea only three points behind sixth-placed Newcastle United and with a game in hand too.
Here, we break down some of the main talking points from the game.
Cole Palmer: Player of the season?
It is the time of year where discussions over who will get the PFA Player of the Year and FWA Footballer of the Year begin, and Cole Palmer simply must be in the conversation.
His brilliant display against Everton, where he scored a remarkable hat-trick in just 16 thrilling first-half minutes, was the main talking point once again.
Palmer’s form has taken centre stage among Chelsea fans all season, but now the rest of the nation is having to take note.
The last time he played at Stamford Bridge, he scored his first professional hat-trick to defeat Manchester United. But this was even better. With four goals against Everton, his tally from a stunning campaign reads 23 goals and 13 assists for Chelsea in 38 appearances. He is averaging nearly a goal involvement every game and is in with a real shout of winning the Golden Boot. He is also the first Chelsea player to score 20 league goals in a season since Diego Costa.
"One of the best players in the Premier League…"@Carra23 and Dele analyse Chelsea and Everton's first-half performance at Stamford Bridge 📉 pic.twitter.com/ETydHXQzAe
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 15, 2024
But it is the X factor he provides, not just the end product, which provides a strong argument for why he should be on the shortlist for major awards. Yes, there is a lot of competition, but given he is playing as well as this for a relatively struggling team, it makes him a worthy contender to poll a significant share of the vote.
What was going on with that penalty?
Only Chelsea could have such an unseemly incident when they are comfortably winning a game of football.
The sight of the Chelsea players arguing among themselves over who to take a spot kick when the score was 4-0 was beyond farcical.
Palmer has scored all eight of the penalties he has taken for Chelsea this season and yet Noni Madueke grabbed the ball aggressively to take it instead. Nicolas Jackson also got involved.
In the end, Palmer quite rightly stepped up and, as expected, maintained his 100 per cent record from 12 yards, but it should not have come to this.
😳😳😳 pic.twitter.com/qCP4uALalE
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 15, 2024
Up to this point Pochettino had strangely resisted naming Palmer officially his No 1 taker despite his efficiency. He has repeated the mantra that it is up to the players on the pitch to decide at the time, but this is what you get when it is left open to debate.
Those who were at Stamford Bridge when Chelsea beat Wigan Athletic 8-0 to clinch the Premier League in 2010 will remember a similar incident involving Didier Drogba and regular taker Frank Lampard.
After the game it was quickly made clear that the Chelsea manager had informed his players that Palmer is now the club’s designated penalty taker. Pochettino was clearly angry and upset at the events that had unfolded on the pitch — a rare set of emotions in a 6-0 win.
Thiago Silva: ready for Wembley?
Chelsea face a much tougher test in five days’ time than Everton gave them this evening.
The club’s last chance of winning silverware is on the line when they play Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley. On the last occasion Chelsea faced Pep Guardiola’s side, they earned a credible 1-1 draw with Axel Disasi and Levi Colwill at centre-back.
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Both men missed the Everton victory through injury but could be in contention to return against the Premier League leaders. The question is: should they?
This could be Silva’s last chance to play at England’s national stadium. He sat out the EFL Cup Final defeat to Liverpool in February due to a groin problem sustained at Crystal Palace a fortnight earlier.
Even when he recovered, Pochettino was reluctant to restore the Brazilian to the first XI. He was an unused substitute for five consecutive games before finally starting against Sheffield United last week.
Silva was back in the side this evening as well and you could tell he was fired up to prove himself. In the pre-match huddle, Silva was one of the voices to rally everyone else despite his limited English.
No one would say Chelsea looked defensively solid for the whole 90 minutes, yet this still ended up being Chelsea’s first clean sheet in 14 matches. That is a hard thing to ignore and his leadership was notable.
The Chelsea supporters’ affection for the Brazilian is not in dispute as they sang his name on more than one occasion in the second half. Pochettino may be wary about Silva being against Manchester City’s forward line but he is certainly been given a lot to think about.
What next for Chelsea?
Saturday, April 20: Manchester City, FA Cup semi-final, 5.15pm UK, 12.15pm ET
Recommended reading
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- The fall of the House of Ajax
(Top photo: Getty Images)
