Cole Palmer was Chelsea's hero yet again on Thursday night as he netted a hat-trick during a dramatic 4-3 victory over Manchester United.
All looked lost for Chelsea when the game entered the eighth and final minute of added-on time, the Blues trailing 3-2, until Noni Madueke was fouled by Diogo Dalot.
To the majority, it appeared to be a clear penalty. Dalot did not complain, but VAR took a couple of minutes to reach the conclusion that an infringement had been committed.
Like he did during the early stages of the game, Palmer stepped up and coolly slotted into the corner from 12 yards, before the playmaker went on to score the latest-ever winning goal in a Premier League fixture shortly afterwards.
Palmer has now scored each of his eight penalties for Chelsea. He is also third in the all-time list for consecutive penalties scored in the Premier League without missing a single effort.
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Was Palmer taking the second penalty a foregone conclusion?
Logically-speaking, none of Palmer's teammates should have been disputing whether he was to take a penalty in the 99th minute of a game courtesy of the aforementioned statistics.
Furthermore, Palmer has already shown this season that he was up to the task. Against Manchester City, his former club, at the same end of Stamford Bridge.
However, while the officials in the VAR booth were taking their time in making a decision, it appears that at least one Chelsea player attempted to take the ball off Palmer.
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Madueke, after his direct run into the area had won the spot kick, appeared to be making a case that he should be allowed to step up from 12 yards.
Enzo Fernandez is also involved, with it being unclear as to whether the World Cup winner was also hoping to take responsibility; both players have taken penalties for Chelsea this season.
When Palmer was not involved against Crystal Palace over the Christmas period, Madueke stepped up to convert a penalty in the 89th minute as Chelsea beat the Eagles by a 2-1 scoreline.
Fernandez missed against West Ham United on the second weekend of the season, but scored in a 3-2 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion on December 3; Palmer was then introduced as a substitute a minute later, so was not on the pitch.
Not the first time...
As recently as before the international break, Raheem Sterling successfully took the ball from Palmer against Leicester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals, only to miss with a tame effort that was comfortably saved.
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The incident involving Sterling was more controversial. He had never taken a penalty for Chelsea and only boasts a 50% ratio during normal time from the spot in his career.
Nevertheless, there will not be a single Chelsea fan who would have appreciated Madueke and Fernandez trying to take the ball off Palmer at that point in such an important match.
All the way down to Under-18 level, Palmer is yet to miss a penalty. The chances are that will change over time, but it should not stop Pochettino acting stronger when it comes to the allocation of his penalty takers in the future.
Darren Plant
