Cole Palmer makes history with 4 goals in 40 minutes in a chaotic Chelsea win over Brighton on Saturday afternoon.
The 22 year old, who didn’t start a single game for England at the Euros this summer, delivered an exceptional performance.
The match started poorly for Chelsea, as Brighton took the lead just seven minutes in due to a defensive error that allowed Georginio Rutter to head in the opening goal.
However, Chelsea hit back, taking advantage of Brighton’s high defensive line, Palmer the architect of this remarkable turnaround, first, a tap-in from a pass by Nicolas Jackson.
Then he converted a spot kick after Jadon Sancho was brought down in the box, but it was his third that got fans describing it a goal of the season contender.
After a foul on Noni Madueke, Palmer sent a beautifully curled free-kick into the top-right corner, marking his third hat-trick for Chelsea, with his previous ones occurring against Manchester United and Everton last season.
His goal tally now matches that of fellow Blues legends Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Didier Drogba, and Frank Lampard in the Premier League.
Brighton made it 4-2 shortly after Palmer’s free-kick, with Carlos Baleba getting on the scoresheet.
However, Palmer then made it four for Chelsea just four minutes before half time, marking the second occasion he has scored four goals in a match for Chelsea, following their 4-3 victory over Man Utd.
The highlights are well worth a watch…
Nizaar Kinsella (BBC Sport football news reporter): “Cole Palmer scored a nine minutes and 48 second hat-trick here today then added a fourth just before half-time. He has scored all 10 of his 10 penalties since joining Chelsea. And the England forward has been involved in 35 club goals in 2024, with six goals and five assists this season showing that he is not a one-season wonder. Here, today against Brighton, he has had the ball in the net four times, with one effort ruled out for offside and hit the post. What a signing Palmer has been since joining from Manchester City in a £42.5m deal last summer.”
Sky Sports’ Zinny Boswell at Stamford Bridge: “Cole Palmer falls to the floor after making Premier League history – he is the first player to score four first-half goals. The record was on for him to get six, but he has to settle for four today. A smile on his face, and maybe a hint of disappointment. He won’t get many better chances to score six in a game. What a pleasure to have been in attendance for that performance and that first half. Palmer is only 22-years-old, don’t forget!”
Chelsea’s Cole Palmer, speaking to MOTD after scoring four goals against Brighton: “I should have had five or six!
“When I missed the first chance I was upset but with the way they played and their high line I felt we’d get more chances.
“The manager set up a good game plan, we knew how to attack them with first-time passes in behind.
“Brighton are a good team, pass the ball well. They play similar to us. Three points is what we needed and that is what we got.
“I try and play every game the best I can.”
On Theo Walcott comparing him to Dennis Bergkamp: “I know he is a legend in the Premier League but I didn’t really watch him, I was too young. I have seen clips, he was a top player so thank you Theo Walcott!”
— Follow @NoContxtChelsea (@ncc_vids) September 28, 2024
“I’m really happy” 🥶
Cole Palmer reacts to making Premier League history with FOUR goals in the first half! pic.twitter.com/NNA3O53SEQ
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 28, 2024
Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler, speaking to Match of the Day: “We had a good start and controlled the game, had dominance in possession. We scored but afterwards we had too many individual mistakes and with too many individual mistakes you cannot win at Stamford Bridge. We should quickly learn from this.
“In possession we were good but to win games you need to be good in both phases and we didn’t defend well.
“We are still in a process and we have to learn from this quickly. Every time we made a mistake they punished it and punished it quickly.
“We have to analyse, we have to be honest with each other and be better next time.
“It is still a process and we need a good connection on the pitch and we did not have that connection today. It is my job as a head coach to improve these things.
“The first half you couldn’t change anymore. We were disappointed about conceding that many goals but there were positive things. We tried to create some chances but I think Chelsea defended them quite good.
“In the end I think a bit of luck was not there for us. It was not our day and in the end I think we deserved to lose.
“We are all together – we win together and we lose together. We need to find a good balance, we can’t lose our structure as quickly as we did. We all need to learn something, including me.
“There are not many players like Cole Palmer in the Premier League, he is special.”
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca: “It was a good game. Probably we struggled in some moments of the game but I think this kind of game the team needed also to learn.
“I prefer to have more possession! But we struggled a little bit at the beginning of the game, we conceded possession because they surprised us a bit tactically, but overall we were quite good.
“I know Cole Palmer from many years ago, I had him at Manchester City in the under-23s. The best thing is the way he is as a human is the same way. This doesn’t change his life and that is the best thing for him.
“You’d have to be blind if you didn’t see those kind of things with Cole. I said that he scored four but he could have scored more, I say always to be ambitious and hungry to score more.”
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca speaking to Match of the Day: “A very good win, we could have done better in some moments of the game but overall we deserved to win. It is a game the team needs to learn to improve things so overall a fantastic day for me.
“He [Cole Palmer] scored four, I told him he could have scored two or three more. I knew Cole from years ago at City, he is a top player and just has to continue in the same way.
“The two goals we conceded can happen. The important thing is the team continue in the same way, creating many chances. We are happy.
“We can probably read the moment better. We were 1-0 down then 3-1 up and maybe in that moment it is better not to take a risk.
“We have many players, during the week we played in the cup and then now. There are minutes for everyone.
“I was more focused on the way the team progressed rather than results. We are ahead in my expectation in the way we want to play.”
Here’s how fans reacted as Cole Palmer makes history with 4 goals in 40 minutes in a chaotic Chelsea win over Brighton…
@CFCPys: Cole Palmer is absolutely sensational, I’ve run out of words for him. For someone who is an attacking mid / winger, he has already scored four goals twice in a game for Chelsea. He’s the first player EVER in Premier League history to score four in one half. It was breathtaking watching him today, his passing is an absolute joke, could’ve had some many assists today.
@L_BHAFC: One of the most embarrassing halves I’ve ever seen. You have literally gifted them 4 goals. Put Webster down on the way home at the vet
@thetroll_001: I’ve seen great CB partnership debates!! But dunk-Webster partnership will go down as the worst in history!! And it’s 99% on Webster!
@thomaeste: May Webster never step on the field again
@PursuitOfTruthB: The Cole Palmer show. And the first defeat of the season. We can probably write off the free kick, no-one’s saving that. Other than that undone by a first half defensive disaster class and world class Palmer performance. Granted not helped by missing JPVH, nor the ref giving most 50-50: against us. We won’t face many better sides than Chelsea this season though, they are truly brilliant – and despite the gloom I believe the upcoming Spurs game is there to be won. As gutted as I am I haven’t lost faith, I don’t want people sacked, I don’t think we’re going down, nor do I think the sky is falling. Lots of learning for Hűrz and the team today though.
@matthew_oregan: Leave Webster in london
@BhaHarvey: This is the worst defence i’ve ever seen
@Olly_Taliku: I’d love to hate Cole Palmer but it’s genuinely impossible, the guy is ridiculous
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