Alious
Cole Palmer may not yet be operating at full fitness, but that hasn’t slowed his relentless impact for Chelsea. The Blues’ star man delivered another headline-grabbing performance at Molineux, writing his name into Premier League history with a devastating first-half hat-trick against Wolves.
Chelsea ran out 3-1 winners, with Palmer once again at the heart of everything. He showed ice-cold composure to convert two penalties before capping off his treble with a moment of pure quality from open play. Marc Cucurella’s clever pass found Palmer in space inside the box, and the midfielder finished with trademark calm and precision.
Those three goals further underlined Palmer’s remarkable influence this season. He has now been directly involved in 10 goals across 17 appearances for Chelsea, scoring eight times and providing two assists. Notably, six of those contributions have come since Liam Rosenior took charge, highlighting Palmer’s importance under the new regime.
Beyond Wolves, Palmer’s consistency has been just as striking. He found the net against Brentford and supplied two assists in Chelsea’s thrilling 3-2 comeback victory over Napoli, reinforcing his reputation as a genuine match-winner. Performances like these have seen him eclipse some iconic names in Chelsea history.
The hat-trick at Molineux marked Palmer’s 114th appearance for the club since his £40m move from Manchester City in the summer of 2023. With those goals added, his Chelsea tally now stands at an astonishing 51 strikes.
For a midfielder, those numbers are extraordinary – reminiscent of the output once associated with Frank Lampard. Even more eye-catching is the comparison with Didier Drogba. After 114 games in a Chelsea shirt, the legendary striker had scored 49 goals. Palmer has now gone beyond that mark, overtaking Drogba at the same stage of his Blues career.
Drogba, of course, would go on to amass 164 goals in 381 appearances and cement his status as a club icon. But the fact Palmer has already reached 51 goals by this point, largely from midfield, speaks volumes about his quality and influence.
Opposition figures are running out of superlatives. Wolves boss Rob Edwards joked that Palmer has become a personal nemesis, admitting he struggles to enjoy watching him after repeatedly being punished by the Chelsea star. Edwards labelled him a “special footballer,” a sentiment echoed across the league.
Former Premier League striker Dimitar Berbatov was equally glowing in his assessment, praising Palmer’s unbelievable quality and his ability to decide matches through goals and creativity. According to Berbatov, Palmer is the player Chelsea can rely on to produce something extraordinary when it matters most.
Chelsea will now hope Palmer is fully fit for the upcoming clash against Leeds at Stamford Bridge, after he was withdrawn around the hour mark at Wolves. Regardless, his achievements already place him in rare company. To be ahead of a Chelsea legend like Drogba at this stage of his career – and to do it from midfield – only reinforces the sense that Palmer is not just in form, but redefining what is possible in a blue shirt.
Alious
