Cole Palmer delivered a pointed message to his critics on social media after scoring in Chelsea’s 3-1 victory over Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
The win lifted Chelsea to fifth in the Premier League, with goals from Enzo Fernández and a Jarell Quansah own goal giving them a 2-0 lead. Virgil van Dijk pulled one back for the visitors, but Palmer sealed the result with a stoppage-time penalty — his first goal in 13 matches.
The 22-year-old, who joined Chelsea from Manchester City for £42.5 million last September, had made a strong start to life at the club with 36 goals and 17 assists in his first 54 appearances. However, a recent barren spell — with no goals and just two assists in his previous 12 outings — drew online criticism.
Speaking to Sky Sports post-match, Palmer addressed the scrutiny: “We played very well as a team. They’re champions for a reason, but we showed desire. I just felt normal. Stuff happens — sorry for my language. I went three months without scoring, but it just motivates me to do more for myself and the team.
“Social media nowadays is full of idiots. I don’t pay any attention to it. I’ve scored today and I’m happy, but it’s just one goal and I need to keep improving. When you’re not scoring, it feels like you’re letting your team down. But I’m mentally strong. I take pride in helping the team.”
Liverpool manager Arne Slot, who rotated his squad after clinching the Premier League title last weekend, dismissed suggestions that his side lacked intensity.
“I didn’t see much of a drop-off,” said Slot. “We showed why we’re champions — we built from the back well and fought back after going 2-0 down. Margins are small, and at times we were missing a few percentages, but the effort was there.”
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