'Like Bergkamp & Van Persie' - Palmer makes history at Chelsea

For an attacking player, being compared to legendary Premier League forwards Dennis Bergkamp and Robin van Persie is not a bad point astatine all.

Chelsea striker Cole Palmer was likened to some aft his history-making capacity successful Saturday's 4-2 triumph against Brighton astatine Stamford Bridge.

The 22-year-old sewage each 4 goals, scoring them successful nan first half of nan crippled - nan first clip that has ever been done successful nan Premier League.

He besides had 1 extremity disallowed and deed nan woodwork arsenic Brighton struggled to woody pinch him.

"He has sewage a spot of finesse, Bergkamp, Van Persie astir him, and they weren't bad astatine all," erstwhile England and Arsenal guardant Theo Walcott said aft nan game, adding that he had been "speechless" while witnessing Palmer's performance.

"He has grown into his ain astatine Chelsea and he is nan main man. You can't time off him retired of immoderate team, and I americium talking astir England too."

Chelsea person signed a ample number of players successful caller times. Arguably their champion spot of business was bringing successful Palmer from Manchester City for £42.5m past summer.

He scored 22 Premier League goals successful his first play astatine Stamford Bridge and has six already this term. No wonder, then, that Chelsea leader Enzo Maresca was delighted to beryllium reunited pinch him.

The Italian, who was appointed successful nan summer, antecedently worked pinch Palmer erstwhile he was a coach astatine Manchester City.

Maresca said: "What he was arsenic a boy is precisely what he was 3 aliases 4 years ago. Goals, assists, champion subordinate of nan Premier League - this doesn't alteration nan measurement he is. He's a humble feline and for maine it’s nan astir important thing."

The Chelsea leader added: "He scored 4 but he besides could person scored 2 aliases 3 more.

“It's important he stays quiet and ambitious."

There is surely nary doubting Palmer's hunger and aft nan triumph against Brighton he told Match of nan Day: "I should person had 5 aliases six!

"When I missed nan first chance I was upset, but pinch nan measurement they played and their precocious statement I felt we'd get much chances.

"I effort and play each crippled nan champion I can."

The statistic for Palmer are hugely impressive.

As good arsenic becoming nan first subordinate successful Premier League history to people 4 goals successful nan first half of a game, he:

This was a crippled of feline and mouse, precocious consequence and precocious rewards from 2 managers wedded to their tactical approach.

Maresca's squad whitethorn person edged it tactically but nan existent quality shaper was Palmer and his ruthless finishing.

The Italian head said, aft mistakes from Levi Colwill and Robert Sanchez led to goals aft intelligent Brighton pressing, that his squad didn't person it each their ain way.

"Probably we struggled successful immoderate moments of nan game, but I deliberation this benignant of crippled nan squad needed besides to learn," Maresca said.

"I for illustration to person much possession. But we struggled a small spot astatine nan opening of nan game, we conceded possession because they amazed america a spot tactically, but wide we were rather good."

Equally, Fabian Hurzeler's attack pinch Brighton is 1 that is riskier than possibly moreover Chelsea's - sticking to a precocious protect line. They camped connected nan halfway statement astatine Stamford Bridge, sloppy of whether Chelsea aliases they had nan ball.

All 4 goals that Brighton shipped connected Saturday, and nan 4 conceded before, were akin arsenic teams exploited that style of defending, which nan German admits whitethorn unit a alteration of approach.

Hurzeler said: "They had 1 astonishing subordinate [Palmer] that punished each correction we did. We should study astir it. We can't triumph if we make these easy mistakes, particularly successful nan first half. We person to analyse it, amended and accommodate if necessary."