- Cole Palmer’s audacious dummy finish left Bournemouth goalkeeper Mark Travers stranded in the Blues’ dramatic draw
- Palmer’s stellar goal put Chelsea ahead before Bournemouth’s Justin Kluivert and Antoine Semenyo turned the tide
- A Reece James free-kick rescued a point for Chelsea in the thrilling 2-2 encounter with Bournemouth
Chelsea's young star Cole Palmer has earned high praise and comparisons to footballing legends following his stunning performance against Bournemouth on Tuesday night, January 14. The 22-year-old forward displayed his composure and skill, scoring a brilliant goal that left fans and pundits in awe.
Palmer's standout moment came when Nicolas Jackson held up play before feeding him the ball. The forward executed an audacious dummy to deceive Bournemouth goalkeeper Mark Travers, calmly slotting the ball into an empty net. The goal put Chelsea ahead, though the match ultimately ended in a 2-2 draw.
Former Chelsea attacker Joe Cole, speaking as a pundit for TNT Sports, compared Palmer to eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi. Cole complimented Palmer’s unique ability to dictate the game at his own pace.
“He plays the game at his own speed. That’s the biggest compliment I could pay him. When you watch him, he reminds you of Messi. I wouldn’t want to put that kind of pressure on him, but he plays at his own rhythm and his own pace. It’s a sensational finish, and these fans absolutely love watching him play football,” he said.
Meanwhile, former England striker Peter Crouch drew parallels between Palmer and ex-Real Madrid and Arsenal star Mesut Özil. Crouch pointed out Palmer’s calm demeanour in high-pressure situations, likening it to Özil’s trademark style,
“It reminds me of Mesut Özil a little bit, the calmness, it’s almost too casual, the ability for a young man to stop, put the keeper down, and roll it into an empty net, that’s what makes him special,” Crouch said.
Ex-Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand also lauded Palmer, describing the goal as "rude" and likening it to playground brilliance,
“It was outrageous. I’d pay to watch him every day of the week because I know I’m going to get something like that, that will get me off my seat and make me scream,” Ferdinand added.
Bournemouth mounted a comeback with goals from Justin Kluivert and Antoine Semenyo, but Chelsea salvaged a point through a late Reece James free-kick.
With performances like this, Palmer is quickly proving to be one of Chelsea's most exciting talents, drawing comparisons to some of the greatest players in football history.
Cole Palmer's phenomenal four-goal first-half frenzy floors Brighton
Previously, TheRadar reported that Cole Palmer set a new record with his 45-minute performance against a Premier League opponent.
He did this by netting an incredible four goals in the first 45 minutes, becoming the first player ever to achieve such a feat in a single half.
