Cole Palmer Shines in Chelsea's Win Over Fulham

Cole Palmer has started the new campaign exactly where he left off – at the centre of everything Chelsea do well.

The 22-year-old has been voted Player of the Matchweek for Matchweek 1 after a dazzling performance in Chelsea’s breathless 3-2 win over Fulham at Craven Cottage, a west London derby that quickly turned into his personal stage.

Palmer set the tone early. Operating between the lines, he slipped in Joao Pedro for the opener, threading the kind of pass that cuts through noise as much as it does defenders. From there, he never loosened his grip on the contest.

The pressure finally told again at the start of the second half. Palmer, already dictating Chelsea’s tempo, struck what proved to be the winner, capping a display that blended flair with relentlessness. Fulham never really worked him out; they just endured him.

The numbers only underline what the eyes already knew. Palmer attempted five shots, more than any of his team-mates. He took nine touches inside the Fulham box, constantly popping up in dangerous pockets. He won 10 duels, fought for every loose ball, and recovered possession seven times – leading Chelsea outright in all of those categories.

This wasn’t a luxury playmaker drifting around the edges. This was a matchwinner doing the dirty work as well.

Fans responded accordingly. Palmer collected 40 per cent of the vote for Player of the Matchweek, comfortably ahead of Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard on 22 per cent, to secure the award.

It is his first such honour since Matchweek 25 of last season, when he tore into Wolverhampton Wanderers with a hat-trick in a 3-1 victory.

Different season, different opponent. Same question for the rest of the league: how do you stop Cole Palmer when he’s in this kind of mood?