Chelsea, Manchester City: Haaland pushes former team-mate Palmer away from the team talk and it causes a stir!
Chelsea and Manchester City delivered an electrifying performance on Sunday night, with the game ending in a 4-4 draw. One of the highlights was former City player Cole Palmer’s attempt to eavesdrop on a team talk, which added some humor to the intense match.
The incident occurred when Erling Haaland noticed his ex-teammate trying to listen in on Manchester City’s strategy discussion during the final moments of the game. Haaland quickly intervened, pushing Palmer away from the group.
This marked Palmer’s first face-off against his old club since he transferred to Chelsea during the summer window. Despite scoring a late penalty, it seems that he couldn’t resist reminding his former colleagues of his mischievous ways.
As time ticked down towards full-time, City players gathered for what seemed like their last strategic huddle before play resumed. It was then that Palmer casually walked over and positioned himself behind Bernardo Silva and Ruben Dias, apparently keen on hearing Jack Grealish’s input.
Despite being caught off guard by Palmer’s antics, Haaland reacted swiftly but good-naturedly, guiding him away from the group with a smile. The playful exchange did little to affect the outcome as both sides ended up sharing points after an exhilarating Premier League showdown.
However, not all spectators were amused by Palmer’s actions throughout the match. He drew criticism for attempting to interfere with the penalty spot ahead of Haaland taking a shot – a move deemed unsporting by many fans.
Referee Anthony Taylor awarded Haaland a penalty midway through the first half following an altercation with Chelsea defender Cucurella. As preparations were underway for this crucial moment, Palmer was spotted trying to scuff up the penalty spot, earning him a booking from Taylor.
Such tactics are not uncommon in football; however, they are often frowned upon. Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho recently faced similar backlash for employing this strategy during a Champions League match against Copenhagen.
The game at Stamford Bridge was nothing short of thrilling, with neither side able to assert dominance over the other in an eight-goal spectacle. City initially took the lead through Haaland’s controversial penalty, but Chelsea quickly retaliated with goals from Thiago Silva and Raheem Sterling.
Manuel Akanji managed to equalize just before halftime, only for Haaland to restore City’s lead shortly after the break. Nicolas Jackson then brought Chelsea level again before Rodri and Palmer scored one each, bringing the final score to 4-4.