MAURICIO POCHETTINO has dismissed claims Cole Palmer is the new Juan Mata.
The Chelsea boss has instead compared the wonderkid to Manchester United flop Angel Di Maria.
Palmer has impressed for the Blues since his summer arrival from Manchester City, who he will face on Sunday afternoon.
The treble winners travel to Stamford Bridge looking to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League.
During his pre-match press conference, Pochettino was asked if Palmer reminded him of ex-Chelsea man Mata.
“Juan Mata? No, he is more Di Maria!” he responded. “You know, the body and the way he moves.”
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Di Maria endured a disappointing season in England after signing for United from Real Madrid.
He scored just four goals for the Red Devils before leaving for Paris Saint-Germain, where he would later play under Pochettino.
Now back with Benfica in Portugal, the 35-year-old has seven goals and two assists already this term.
As for Palmer, he swapped City for Chelsea after being limited to just seven starts across all competitions during their treble-winning campaign.
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The under-21 Euros winner has since bagged three goals and added four assists for his new club.
Those goals have all come in Chelsea’s last four league matches, including Monday’s 4-1 win over Tottenham.
Reflecting on his performances, Palmer said in October: “It has surprised me a bit but I know my own ability.
“And I knew that if I hit the ground running I’d have a chance and obviously make an impact. That’s why I went there.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
