Chelsea penalty chaos: Jackson and Madueke reaction to Cole Palmer penalty speaks volumes about Chelsea situation
Chelsea penalty chaos: Jackson and Madueke reaction to Cole Palmer penalty speaks volumes about Chelsea situation
Nicolas Jackson and Noni Madueke were spotted arguing with one another about a penalty – which Chelsea won against Everton on the hour – before Cole Palmer assumed responsibility, igniting a mass brawl.
The former PSV Eindhoven winger initially picked up the ball to take the spot-kick. The Blues striker, who looked visibly angry, tried to grab the ball from his teammate. Madueke shrugged off Jackson on numerous occasions before Palmer eventually arrived on the scene and took the ball.
The England Under-21 international didn’t looked happy at first but, following intervention from Conor Gallagher, he accepted the handover – all while the former Villarreal frontman continued to argue why he should take the kick.
Palmer brushed off Jackson and placed the ball on the penalty spot. As the former Manchester City ace took a few deep breaths and waited for Jordan Pickford to finish his distraction antics, Malo Gutso, Moises Caicedo and Thiago Silva appeared to have a word with a few players to calm tensions.
Chelsea extended their lead over Everton to five, with Palmer netting his fourth of the tie. Less than 10 minutes later, Carney Chukwuemeka replaced Noni Madueke, who headed straight down the tunnel towards the dressing room before eventually later reappearing on the bench.
Nevertheless, speaking on Sky Sports during half-time, Jamie Carragher and Dele Alli analysed Palmer’s hat-trick. The former Liverpool defender said: “This lad has been sensational all season. He’s been one of the best players in the Premier League this season. I know it has been a tough season for Chelsea.
“Everton were being really aggressive and trying to press really high and they had joy early on, but it also caused them problems because when Chelsea beat the press as they do here, they found space with Cole Palmer between the lines.
“He megs [Jarrad] Branthwaite, plays a little one-two with his partner Jackson, and he just opens his foot up and finds that far corner. When you are talking about class and composure, I mean this is brilliant.
“You can always pick holes in goals defensively, but this for me is absolutely sensational for one of the best players in the Premier League.”
On Palmer’s second, the former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder said: “I haven’t seen it before but chances like this one, he is the only one following up the play and that is a strikers goal. He’s anticipated that the keeper is going to make the save and he’s the first to react.”
Then, on his third, Carragher added: “Jordan Pickford has had a nightmare. He should have done better on that one with the second goal and here, I am not sure why he is trying to pass through Chelsea with his right foot.
“He’s got a great left foot but that’s the difference when you see a goalkeeper using his right foot and an outfield player using his right foot. It is a poor first touch, he just has to go to Tarkowski, but that is a great finish with your weaker foot, it really is.”
