Cole Palmer’s remarkable first season with Chelsea saw another highlight during their emphatic 5-0 victory over West Ham on Sunday, as he continued to set new benchmarks.
Palmer, the England international, initiated the scoring spree at Stamford Bridge, netting the first goal within 15 minutes. He was soon followed by Conor Gallagher and Noni Madueke, who both scored before the interval.
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After halftime, Nicolas Jackson scored twice, contributing to a significant triumph for Chelsea as they pursue European qualification.
Despite a challenging season for the Blues, Palmer has consistently been a standout performer, with his numerous goals and assists playing a pivotal role in Mauricio Pochettino’s team.
With his latest goal against West Ham, Palmer has now tallied 21 goals in the Premier League, and along with nine assists, he’s become the second Chelsea player to reach 30 goal involvements in their debut season.
The first was Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink with 32 (23 goals and nine assists) during the 2000/01 season. With three matches left, Palmer is in a strong position to surpass this long-standing record.
Additionally, at just 21 years old, Palmer has equaled the feats of Chelsea legends Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba, who both hold the record for the most Premier League home goals in a single season for Chelsea, with 16 each.
Palmer’s latest goal has brought him level with this record, and he has one final game at Stamford Bridge against Bournemouth to potentially claim it outright.
Chelsea’s victory has propelled them to seventh place in the league standings, which currently qualifies them for the Conference League. However, their position is at risk, as Manchester United could overtake them if they avoid defeat against Crystal Palace on Monday.
Moreover, Chelsea is now only two points behind Newcastle in sixth and six points adrift of Tottenham in fifth, leaving open the possibility of advancing into the Europa League spots.
While speaking about their chances of European qualification, Madueke told BBC Match of the Day: ‘The chips fall how they are meant to fall.
‘We will do our best to finish as high as possible to try and qualify for Europe. We know what we can do now and next season we can put everything into it.
‘When you play for one of the biggest clubs in the world you have to be in Europe. It has been disappointing this season but we have to go and get it next season.’
