“It is an exceptional level” - Frank Lampard left impressed by Chelsea star in FA Cup semi-final loss to Manchester City
Chelsea legend Frank Lampard was impressed by Cole Palmer's performance against Manchester City. The Blues were knocked out of the FA Cup after losing 1-0 in the semi-finals at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, April 20.
Mauricio Pochettino and Co. were punished for wasting multiple big opportunities when Bernardo Silva found a late winner in the 84th minute. Despite their loss, Cole Palmer impressed against his former side and was arguably unlucky not to register a goal contribution.
The 21-year-old completed 25 out of his 30 passes with an accuracy of 83 percent. He also created two chances, landed two shots on target, and won six of his nine duels.
Lampard liked what he saw from Palmer as he said on punditry for BBC Sport (via The Chelsea Chronicle):
“Cole Palmer is playing at a different level at the moment, it is an exceptional level. When you talk about the areas between lines, someone who can turn and take that extra bit of time. His chance in the box was unreal.”
Palmer has been the Blues' most integral player this season since joining from Manchester City last summer. He has netted 25 goals and registered 13 assists in 43 appearances across all competitions to date.
How did Chelsea fare in their 1-0 loss to Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-finals?
Manchester City booked their spot in the FA Cup final in consecutive years for the third time in their history since 1934 and 1956 as they defeated Chelsea 1-0 in the semi-finals. Let's take a look at the stats to see how both teams performed.
The Cityzens dominated possession with 62 percent of the ball. They also attempted 586 passes with an accuracy of 90 percent. In contrast, the Blues had 38 percent possession, attempting 356 passes with an accuracy of 81 percent.
Despite not having much of the ball, Chelsea had the best chances of the game, with Nicolas Jackson being guilty of squandering their biggest in the 49th minute. They had 10 shots with five being on target, while Manchester City had 14 shots with three being on target.