Wolves 1-3 Chelsea 

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Chelsea haven’t looked their best this season. But with Cole Palmer nearing full fitness again and Liam Rosenior overseeing four league wins in a row, things are starting to come together for the west London side. Palmer scored a first-half hat-trick as the Blues beat rock-bottom Wolves 3-1 at Molineux on Saturday, his fourth domestic treble for Chelsea since joining from Manchester City in August 2023.

It was a significant day for Palmer in terms of joining the Chelsea greats in terms of statistics at least. On his 100th start in all competitions for Chelsea, he scored his 49th, 50th and 51st goals for the club in addition to 31 assists. He also became the first player in Premier League history to score a hat-trick in the first 45 minutes on three occasions.

Two of his goals came from the penalty spot – the other an emphatic finish from a Marc Cucurella cross – meaning he has now dispatched 17 of his 18 spot-kicks. That puts him level with Eden Hazard, who scored 17 from 19 penalty attempts. Given how assured Hazard was from the spot in his seven years at Stamford Bridge, it’s a huge compliment to Palmer that he can boast an even better accuracy than the magical Belgian.

Only Frank Lampard (41) and Jorginho (19) have scored more from 12 yards than Palmer, and it surely won’t be long before he takes second spot for himself. With a contract until June 2033, Lampard must be a little worried that his record could disappear. After all, Palmer has already surpassed the legendary midfielder and his former team-mate Didier Drogba’s best tally of three hat-tricks with four overall.

Remarkably, Palmer’s work for the afternoon was done as the clock ticked past the hour mark, as Rosenior made what felt like a premeditated change to help preserve his fitness given his groin injury troubles this term. The standing ovation from the away supporters said it all. A consolation for Tolu Arokodare didn’t put Chelsea’s spirits as they celebrated another win, keeping apace with Manchester United in the race for Champions League qualification.

A wry smile from Palmer on the bench suggested he is enjoying his football, despite persistent rumours about a potential switch to Old Trafford. After witnessing his first hat-trick under his management, Rosenior will just be glad to have Palmer at his disposal again.