On Saturday, Cole Palmer surpassed several Chelsea icons by netting his fourth career hat-trick for the club, establishing an unprecedented milestone during his team’s 3-1 triumph against Wolves.
While Tolu Arokodare managed to score a single goal for the struggling bottom-placed team in the latter half, it ultimately proved insufficient, as Palmer’s goals before halftime had already secured a decisive advantage for Liam Rosenior’s squad.
This early-match trio of goals against Wolves marked Palmer’s fourth such accomplishment for the club in the Premier League within a mere three-year span, allowing him to outstrip the achievements of Jimmy Floyd-Hasselbaink, Didier Drogba, and Frank Lampard, each of whom recorded three during their extensive tenures in West London.
Palmer first converted two penalty kicks, then added a skillfully executed shot from within the penalty area in the 38th minute, thereby completing his hat trick, sealing the victory that day, and setting a new record for the ex-Manchester City attacker.
This particular afternoon became memorable for Palmer for multiple reasons; his hat trick was recorded as Chelsea’s third quickest in the Premier League’s history (achieved in 38 minutes). Furthermore, he already possesses the distinction for both the quickest (29 minutes against Everton) and the second quickest (31 minutes against Brighton) hat tricks.
Additionally, this feat positioned Palmer as the inaugural player in the Premier League to achieve three hat tricks exclusively within the first half of matches.
His remarkable accomplishments continued as Palmer surpassed John Terry’s tally (41) to claim second place among English players with the most goals for Chelsea in the Premier League (44), placing him in pursuit of Lampard, who achieved an impressive 147.
Palmer arrived at Chelsea from Manchester City in 2023, and since establishing himself as the key player at Stamford Bridge, he has accumulated 44 goals across 84 matches.
Recent reports originating from West London have suggested that Palmer might be contemplating a move back to Manchester due to homesickness experienced in the capital, but manager Liam Rosenior has since dismissed these claims.
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Following the victory over Wolves, Rosenior spoke highly of his standout attacker, describing the player, who had just scored a hat trick, as ‘uncontainable’ after an afternoon filled with new records.
“When he’s performing at his peak and in excellent spirits, he [Palmer] is an exceptional footballer,” stated Rosenior.
“At a club like this, facing such high expectations and intense scrutiny, which I am personally beginning to understand, one must ignore distractions and recall their inherent skill as a player.
“We are well aware of his status as a world-class athlete. He has participated in numerous matches throughout the past year with minimal downtime. When operating at his highest level, he cannot be stopped. I find great satisfaction in collaborating with him.”
“He genuinely enjoys his time here. It is my hope that from this point until the season concludes, he can fully immerse himself in and savor his game.”
Data provided by ESPN’s Global Research department and PA was utilized in the compilation of this article.
