Don’t say goal, say Palmer. Cole Palmer. Or better yet, ‘Gol’ Palmer. And let there be four. The Chelsea playmaker was the hero at Stamford Bridge, scoring a poker to destroy Everton (6-0) and continue believing in qualifying for Europe via the Premier League. Nico Jackson and Alfie Gilchrist completed the rout, but all the flashes pointed al ‘Blue Haaland’. His four goals are already enough to equal the Norwegian in the Premier League scoring table with 20 goals.
Palmer knew that, to get closer to Europe, the ball had to pass through his feet. And he took charge. Before the quarter of an hour, the ‘blues’ were already celebrating their star’s first. And it was beautifully done, aiming a shot at Branthwaite, a one-two with Nico Jackson and a finish at the far post against an insufficient Pickford.
Far from slowing down, Chelsea attacked the English international’s goal to try to increase the lead. It didn’t take Palmer five minutes to find the ball in the six-yard box and, with a header, define the 2-0 that further strengthened the ‘blues’.
But Pickford still had the worst of the night to come. His blunder ended up burying the Toffees’ hopes, taking risks outside the area and giving possession to the Londoners’ scorer. Although there were also Much credit to Palmer for taking his right foot for a walk with a Vaseline that certified the 3-0. Perfect hat trick.
The visitor had no respite, not even with Beto’s goal that the lineman immediately annulled for offside. Before the break, another blow. This time it was Nico Jackson, with a great Bergkamp-style goal: back control and volley to finish. Although the striker, formerly of Villarreal, was a negative protagonist in the second stage, fighting with Palmer over a penalty awarded to Madueke.
Cole, without paying much attention to their complaints, took charge of signing his poker. And there was still room for more, the work of young Alfie Gilchrist, who sealed the 6-0 win.