BLUE THUNDER
Chelsea player ratings: Cole Palmer on track for greatness but team-mate closest thing Blues had to a weak link
Read why it was an unforgettable night for one academy product
COLE PALMER stole the show again for Chelsea as he helped them thump Everton.
The Blues absolutely romped past the Toffees and hammered them 6-0 in front of the Stamford Bridge faithful.
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Palmer was the main man once again as he grabbed the headlines with an incredible four-goal haul.
Nicolas Jackson, who was involved in a furious penalty spat with Palmer in the second half, got his name on the scoresheet.
And 20-year-old Alfie Gilchrist came off the bench at the death to add the sixth with his first goal for the club.
Here’s how Sun Sport’s Sam Street rated each Chelsea star on show against Everton:
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Djordje Petrovic - 7
It’s hard to judge a goalkeeper who didn’t have to make a save.
Petrovic may be better served by coming off his line more as Petr Cech suggested.
But his unorthodox style seems to serve him well.
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Marc Cucurella - 9
The Spaniard delivered a pinpoint cross for Nicolas Jackson’s goal.
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He is starting to look more like the player Pep Guardiola wanted to sign from Brighton.
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Thiago Silva - 9
Phenomenal clearance to deny Beto just before half time.
Chelsea fans chanted his name again and again throughout the game.
Trevoh Chalobah - 7
A quiet evening for the academy product.
Exactly what you’d want from a centre-back who hasn’t played much football this season.
Malo Gusto (Alfie Gilchrist 87) - 6
Passed the ball out for an Everton corner under no pressure early on.
The closest thing to a weak link Chelsea had in what was a very comfortable evening.
Conor Gallagher - 7
A vintage Conor Gallagher display. Nothing flashy and got stuck in.
Showed great leadership to intervene when tensions threatened to boil over between Jackson and Madueke over the penalty.
Moises Caicedo - 8
One of the record signing’s best displays for Chelsea.
Fans may even start to worry he can’t play with second biggest buy Enzo Fernandez, who was injured for tonight’s game.
Mykhailo Mudryk (Ben Chilwell 78) - 8
Always a threat down the left, and always looking like he could play his team-mates through on goal.
Chelsea fans will be excited by what they have seen.
Cole Palmer (Cesare Casadei 78) - 10
Already looking like he could match the likes of Hazard, Zola and Lampard in Stamford Bridge greatness.
If this is what he can do at 21 in a Chelsea side that has failed to impress for most of the season, imagine how good he could be in years to come.
Gave a sign of the dominant performance that was to come with a brilliant nutmeg to play Mudryk through from the kick-off.
The first goal could well get a Goal of the Season nomination as he netted four with one of the all-time great Stamford Bridge performances.
Noni Madueke (Carney Chukwuemeka 72) - 8
A lively performance from Madueke down the right.
Should have netted in the first half but his deft chip was kept out by a block from, of all people, Cole Palmer.
Deserved a goal for that finish and earning the penalty with a brilliant turn.
Nicolas Jackson (Deivid 87) - 7
Stamford Bridge saw the best and worst of the Senegalese bad boy.
Jackson constantly got in the right positions and controlled the ball brilliantly before volleying home before half time.
But his night will be remembered for confronting Madueke, Palmer and Gallagher after being prevented from taking a penalty.
It would be ridiculous enough under normal circumstances, let alone when he’s a yellow card away from a two-game ban.
Subs
Carney Chukwuemeka - 6
A composed display from the ex-Aston Villa ace after he came on.
Ben Chilwell - 7
His partnership with Cucurella didn’t look as lethal as Mudryk’s but he did bag an assist, and a very popular one at that.
Academy product Alfie Gilchrist fired home after the England left-back’s shot was saved.
Cesare Casadei - 6
Not much time to make an impact and had some act to follow as Cole Palmer’s replacement.
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Alfie Gilchrist - 8
Fired in his first ever Chelsea goal with very good technique for a right-back.
Deivid - N/A
No real time to impress.
Chelsea's penalty chaos
MAURICIO POCHETTINO has been tearing his hair out watching Chelsea's stars fight over penalties again and again. Here are all their spot kick lowlights
- CHELSEA 2-2 ARSENAL (23rd October, 2023)
GOAL Raheem Sterling immediately picks up the ball to take Chelsea's spot kick before Cole Palmer approaches. Enzo Fernandez intervenes to give the ball to Palmer, who sends David Raya the wrong way to score. - CHELSEA 4 LEICESTER CITY 2 (17th March, 2024)
MISS Raheem Sterling wins a penalty and this time is handed the ball by Palmer. However, he fires it down the middle and sees his kick comfortably saved. Leicester later recover to 2-2 from 2-0 down and Sterling is booed every time he touches the ball by a section of the home crowd. - CHELSEA 4 MANCHESTER UNITED 3 (4th April, 2024)
GOAL Noni Madueke makes an audacious attempt to take the ball off Palmer after winning a 98th minute penalty with the Blues 3-2 down but is pulled away by Trevoh Chalobah. Palmer sends Andre Onana the wrong way before scoring a winner two minutes later. - CHELSEA 6 EVERTON 0 (15th April, 2024)
GOAL Madueke picks up the ball immediately after Chelsea are awarded a penalty at 4-0 up, but a furious Nicolas Jackson rushes in wanting to take the kick and shoves the winger. Captain Conor Gallagher has to intervene to give the ball to Palmer, who scores. Pochettino blasts his team's behaviour as "like being at school".
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