Cole Palmer is only in his second season of being a regular starter in the Premier League, following his move to Chelsea from Manchester City almost two summers ago. However, he has seen a rapid rise to the top, despite his club’s struggles in the league for the past couple of years. The 22-year-old has become a national and even global icon, showcased by the growing popularity of his ‘ice-cold’ celebration. It is tough to envision where Chelsea would be without the young Englishman, who is one of the most exciting players the country has to offer.
Many defenders will no doubt name Palmer as one of their trickiest players to face, but which defender has given him the most trouble? The attacking midfielder was in no doubt when asked to name his toughest ever opponent, a centre-back he has come up against on a few occasions, dating back to his City days.
Cole Palmer Chelsea Stats
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Van Dijk is Palmer’s Toughest Opponent
The Liverpool captain is a Premier League great
A common answer for plenty of Premier League attackers, it is no surprise to see another one name Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk as their toughest-ever opponent. The Dutchman has been one of, if not the most dominant defender in the league since he arrived at Anfield in 2018. He has just one Premier League title to his name but looks almost certain to add another to his trophy cabinet by the end of the 2024/25 season.
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Van Dijk is one of the most complete defenders in Premier League history and among the best of his generation. His strength, athleticism and intelligence make him tough to beat both in the air and on the ground, while his leadership is crucial to Liverpool’s success. Despite suffering from an ACL injury in 2020, he returned just as strong nine months later and is still playing at such a high level.
Virgil van Dijk Liverpool Stats
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Palmer’s Record Against Van Dijk
The pair have faced off just five times
In Palmer’s young career, he has faced Van Dijk on five occasions for Man City, Chelsea and England. It is safe to say the Liverpool defender has the edge over his opponent in their few duels. Palmer has yet to score against him but has been part of two winning teams. However, his first appearance was a one-minute substitute cameo in a 4-1 league win for City in the 2022/23 season.
He was on the wrong end of the same scoreline in their next matchup, in which he played a prominent role for Chelsea in their defeat at Anfield. He was subbed off with five minutes to go. Last season, Chelsea also faced Liverpool at Wembley in the EFL Cup final, where the Blues lost 1-0 to a depleted Reds side. Palmer played all 120 minutes as Van Dijk scored the winning goal in extra-time to prevent him from lifting a first trophy in a Chelsea shirt.
On the international stage, Palmer played 10 minutes in England’s dramatic 2-1 win over the Netherlands in the semi-finals of Euro 2024. Earlier this season, Liverpool were 2-1 winners at Anfield in their latest meeting. Stamford Bridge is set to play host to the reverse fixture on May 3rd, though the visitors will likely have the league title wrapped up by then. It remains to be seen if Palmer will get the chance to score against Van Dijk.
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All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt - correct as of 12/03/24