COLE PALMER has insisted his Chelsea team-mates were “laughing and joking” after their penalty argument last night.
Palmer, 21, scored FOUR goals in a 6-0 drubbing of Everton at Stamford Bridge, including a 16-minute perfect hat-trick in the first half and a penalty in the second.
However, before the penalty was taken, Nicolas Jackson and Noni Madueke were seen arguing the toss on who should take it.
That was until captain Conor Gallagher intervened to hand the ball back to the in-form Blues ace, must to the dismay of Jackson and Madueke.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the game, Palmer – now level on league goals (20) with Erling Haaland this season – said there was no more he could say on it, only that any beef had been solved in the dressing room.
He said: “Other players wanted to take it which is understandable [since] the game’s 4-0.
READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
“But I’m the penalty taker and I wanted to take it and I took it. I think everyone just wants to take responsibility and stuff like that.
“Maybe it was a bit over the top, the argument and stuff, but everyone just wants to win and help.
“It’s nothing major. We were laughing and joking about it but the gaffer has told us now.”
Manager Mauricio Pochettino took a less forgiving tone and warned his players they were on thin ice.
Most read in Football
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
He said: “I told the players [in the dressing room] we can’t behave in this way. I told them this is the last time I will accept this type of behaviour.
“They’re all involved in this situation, next time they’re all out. This is not a joke. It’s impossible after a performance like this to see this type of behaviour.
“If we want to be a great team, fighting for big things, we need to change and think more in a collective way.
“I made clear to them, and now through the media, and I say to our fans and to everyone, Cole Palmer is the penalty taker.
“And it’s now his choice if he wants to give the ball to another player but not in this way.
“It’s very sad and I don’t want it to happen again. We behaved like kids.”
Chelsea league penalty records
Chelsea have been awarded 12 penalties in the Premier League this season – three more than any other team – and have scored 11 of them.
Cole Palmer – 9/9
Noni Madueke – 1/1
Enzo Fernandez – 1/2
The penalty was the former Manchester City star’s ninth converted spot-kick of the season.
Exclusive footage obtained from after the game showed Jackson continuing to voice his frustrations as he argued with team-mate Moises Caicedo.
Jackson, 22, also got himself on the scoresheet against Everton with his 10th league goal of the season thanks to a brilliant touch from a cross before swivelling and placing a shot into the corner of the net.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
