Cole Palmer admitted he felt like he was letting Chelsea down during an 18-game goal drought that came to an end during the club’s 3-1 win over new Premier League champions Liverpool on Sunday.
Palmer had scored 14 Premier League goals by mid-January, putting him well on course to surpass last season’s breakout tally of 22 in the competition.
But after finding the net in a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth, the England star didn’t score again in any competition for almost four months. It spanned 18 matches and covered the Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Conference League.
Palmer was still getting the occasional assist, but was unable to add to his goal tally in costly defeats against Aston Villa and Brighton, as well draws with Brentford and Ipswich Town, all of which could have made the hunt for Champions League qualification much more comfortable than it has been.
And given that Palmer was Chelsea‘s undisputed talisman last season, his vastly reduced impact left the player feeling unhappy and a bit useless.
“Getting chances and not scoring, it feels like you’re letting your team down,” he reflected following Sunday’s 3-1 win at Stamford Bridge.
“I feel like I am mentally strong anyway. I feel pride in helping the team. If I’m not doing that, I’m not happy. I went three months without scoring but it just gives me more fight and motivation to do more for myself and for the team.”
On Sunday, Chelsea managed to take advantage of a heavily-rotated Liverpool side that have taken their foot off the gas now the Premier League title is sewn up. The Blues need to finish in the top five to secure a return to the Champions League. They currently boast a three-point cushion and superior goal difference over sixth-place Nottingham Forest, who travel to Crystal Palace on Monday night.
