Joao Pedro took all of the plaudits on Wednesday night as Chelsea came from behind to beat Napoli in the Champions League, and book their place in the last 16 without the need for a play-off.
But there were plenty of impressive performances all over the park. Enzo Fernandez was excellent again, while Robert Sanchez made some crucial saves in goal, denying Romelu Lukaku an injury-time equaliser.
Liam Rosenior himself can be happy with his night’s work, making changes when they were needed and being brave enough to take Jamie Gittens off, having subbed him on earlier, which he explained.
START, BENCH, SELL: Cole Palmer, Moises Caicedo and Reece James
Chelsea's top three players, but you can only start one! This should be interesting 👀
Cole Palmer of Chelsea (L) celebrates scoring
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But Chelsea fans will have been delighted to see Cole Palmer come off the bench at half-time and play a massive part in Chelsea’s comeback. The England star got both assists for Joao Pedro’s stunning brace.
Reece James discusses Cole Palmer’s difficult season
Constant groin issues, followed by an innocuous foot injury, has limited Palmer to just 14 appearances in all competitions. Less than 90 minutes played but after last night, Palmer has had a hand in seven goals.
Cole Palmer
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But of course, it is a world apart from his prior Chelsea form, in which he was a match-winner. Speaking to Sky Sports, Reece James reminded Chelsea fans that Palmer is “extraordinary”, but is having a bad year.
“Cole has been through a tough time, he’s had a few setbacks, and his season has been a bit slow so far, but we’re delighted he’s here with us,” James said when discussing Palmer and the season he has had.
“He showed his quality again today in the 45 minutes he was on the pitch. We need to be patient with him. He’s an extraordinary player, he’s still very young, and he’ll improve with time,” James continued.
What Reece James said about reports of a Cole Palmer exit
Over the last week, Man United have been very loosely linked with Palmer. It comes after numerous suggestions that Palmer is unhappy at Chelsea, with Palmer spotted showing frustration after Brentford.
How much is Cole Palmer worth?
Cole Palmer celebrates during FC Bayern München v Chelsea FC - UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD1
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But Liam Rosenior completely refuted the claims before the match, reiterating that Palmer remains “untouchable” for other clubs. James made the same point when asked about Palmer’s Chelsea future.
“He is a Chelsea player. Many players are the subject of speculation during the transfer window, which is normal, but he performed really well and we’re happy with him,” James said when discussing Palmer.
Rosenior said that Palmer was very happy in the dressing room after the win over Napoli, with Palmer finally being able to remind fans what he can do. It will be interesting to see if he starts on Saturday.
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