Rio Ferdinand thinks one Tottenham Hotspur player had a game to forget against Chelsea after taking on Cole Palmer.
Cole Palmer put in another excellent display for Chelsea after scoring two goals in their 4-3 win over the weekend.
The attacking midfielder also did most of the work for Enzo Fernandez’s goal, dancing past Tottenham’s backline before his deflected pass reached his teammate’s left boot.
Palmer’s dribbling was almost Messi-like, according to former England striker Gary Lineker.
Destiny Udogie of Tottenham Hotspur in action with Cole Palmerof Chelsea during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Chelsea F...
Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
Cole Palmer destroys Destiny Udogie
It was Destiny Udogie who tried to stop Palmer cutting in from the right-hand side. However, the left-back failed miserably.
The 22-year-old evaded Udogie and the other Spurs players surrounding him and made it look extremely easy.
On Palmer and his battle with Udogie at that stage of the match, Ferdinand said on his podcast: “You can’t stand off him because if you stand off him, he’s one of the best passers in the league. So you think, ‘I’m not going to go too close because he could drop a skill on me, so I stand off’, and he slips it by you from 30, 40 yards. From any distance, he’s got precision.
“But also, if you do go out like Udogie did the other day against Spurs, the left-back goes out there, quicker, stronger and more aggressive than Cole, he couldn’t even lay a glove on him! Twined him inside out, destroyed him.”
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Palmer has also impressed Jody Morris this season, with the former Chelsea assistant manager and player praising his first touch.
Cole Palmer’s dribbling numbers against Tottenham
Tottenham found it hard to contain Palmer, who really came to life in the second half of that London derby.
In total, the Englishman attempted five dribbles and managed to complete four of them, which is really impressive.
Palmer also registered four key passes, so he really did put in a great attacking display.
The England international is now on 17 goal contributions for the season. A couple of goals and one assist against Brentford on Sunday, for example, would take him to 20 before the end of December. That would be some feat and you would not put it past him.
Jamie Carragher thinks Palmer is already on Eden Hazard’s level, a Chelsea legend, and with the form that he is in, it is not a far-fetched claim.
If Palmer can cause Brentford’s defence the same kind of trouble he caused Tottenham’s, then Chelsea have a great chance of winning that match and keeping the pressure on Liverpool.
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