Historic 20-minute haul earns Chelsea star new title

Chelsea playmaker Cole Palmer has become the first player in the 32-year history of the Premier League to score four goals in the first half of a match.
The England international’s flurry of goals came in a 20-minute span in Chelsea’s 4-2 win against Brighton at Stamford Bridge on Sunday morning (AEST).
Palmer scored in the 21st, 28th, 31st and 41st minutes, with the haul including a penalty as well as a long-range free kick that completed his hat-trick.
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No player has ever scored so many goals before halftime in a single match, according to Opta, which provides statistics to the Premier League.
Palmer celebrates hat trick.  Getty
“I should have had five or six,” Palmer said.
“When I missed my first chance I was upset but with the way they played and their high line, I felt we’d get more chances.”
Palmer also had a four-goal haul for Chelsea last season in a 6-0 win over Everton in April, which was also achieved in front of a home crowd.
The playmaker joined Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink in scoring at least three goals in a game three times for Chelsea in the league.
Cole Palmer nails a free kick. Getty
The game against Brighton was only Palmer’s 39th league appearance for Chelsea after joining from Manchester City in the offseason of 2023.
He scored 22 goals last season, second only to City’s Erling Haaland (27), and already has six goals in this campaign under Chelsea’s latest manager, Enzo Maresca.
Maresca used to coach Palmer when they were both at City. At that time, Palmer was playing for City Under-23s.
“You’d have to be blind if you didn’t see those kind of things with Cole,” Maresca said.
“I said that he scored four but he could have scored more. I say always to be ambitious and hungry to score more.
“What he was as a boy is exactly what he was three or four years ago. Goals, assists, best player of the Premier League – this doesn’t change the way he is. He’s a humble guy and for me it’s the most important thing.
“He’s a top player and today in football young players can change quick. Cole scores goals and never changes and this is the most important thing.
“He doesn’t need to tell people how good he is because you can see it clearly.”
Manager Fabian Hurzeler of Brighton & Hove Albion FC. Getty
The individual errors of Brighton were punished by Palmer’s durability, according to the club’s manager Fabian Hurzeler.
Hurzeler declared his team had not faced a player of that calibre this season.
“So far yes,” Hurzeler said when asked if Palmer was the toughest threat the club had faced so far.
“He scored four goals and punished every mistake. He punished the first and second with the penalty, you can’t stop him in one-against-one situations and we have to defend him as a team.
“Sometimes we lost our structure and it’s difficult to defend players like this.”