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Cole Palmer has scored the most goals in the Premier League this season. Indeed, the 21-year-old has scored 20 goals, tying him with Manchester City’s Erling Haaland for the Golden Boot lead. Palmer’s four-goal haul against Everton on Monday demonstrated how crucial he is for Chelsea.
The Stamford Bridge club has had a difficult season, but it could have been even more difficult without Palmer. Some argue that the 21-year-old deserves to be named Premier League Player of the Year. He is unquestionably the most valuable player in the truest meaning of the phrase.
Cole Palmer Equals Erling Haaland After Scoring 4 Goals vs Everton
Palmer has scored 33% of Chelsea’s total Premier League goals this season. This is the highest contribution by an individual player in the division. Only one other Chelsea player (Nicolas Jackson) has scored more than 10 Premier League goals this season, and he has half Palmer’s total.
Haaland is a better natural goal scorer than Palmer, but Manchester City can win even without him. The same cannot be said for Chelsea. Palmer is expected to provide both creativity (he has nine Premier League assists) and cutting edge in and around the penalty area.
“The impact on the team was amazing from day one,” Mauricio Pochettino remarked of Palmer following the win over Everton. “We always expect the best from everyone we sign, so this did not surprise us. Even at Manchester City, he was always a goal-scoring threat. But the way he adapts and the way he plays and performs is incredible.”
Chelsea has been incredibly wasteful in the transfer market since Todd Boehly took control, but Palmer has shown to be an exception. It was unclear what Chelsea’s plans were for the young offensive midfielder when he arrived from Manchester City last summer, but he has been the Premier League’s greatest signing this season.
Chelsea’s challenge now is to create a winning team around Palmer. Pochettino’s club is still in ninth place in the Premier League table, far from where it wants to be. Pochettino is still under scrutiny, with many supporters still skeptical of the former Tottenham Hotspur manager.
Palmer, on the other hand, represents a generational talent for Chelsea. The 21-year-old will almost surely be part of England’s Euro 2024 squad and is certain to be a Premier League star for many years to come. No side is as reliant on a single player as Chelsea is on Palmer, who scores freely.
