"Robbed of POTY", "Saka or Saliba should be winning" - Fans react as Chelsea star Cole Palmer is named Premier League Young Player of the Year
Chelsea star Cole Palmer has won the Premier League's Young Player of the Year award and most fans feel it's well deserved. The English winger has enjoyed a remarkable start at Stamford Bridge.
Palmer has been sensational since joining Mauricio Pochettino's west Londoners from Manchester City for £40 million last summer. The 22-year-old has registered 22 goals and 10 assists in 33 league games.
The Manchester-born winger sits second in the Golden Boot race with one game left. His form has earned him two caps for England and he's expected to be on the plane to Germany for this summer's European Championships.
Chelsea's new hero saw off competition from former City teammates Phil Foden, 23, and Erling Haaland, 23. He also beat Newcastle United's Alexander Isak, 24, Manchester United's Kobbie Mainoo, 19, Arsenal duo Bukayo Saka, 22 and William Saliba, 23, and Tottenham Hotspur's Destiny Udogie, 21.
Pochettino has constantly hailed Palmer throughout the season and compared him to Argentina's 2022 FIFA World Cup-winning winger Angel Di Maria. He said:
"Cole Palmer has been excellent so far. He has the capacity and the potential to be close to Angel Di Maria… with time. Of course he’s still far away, but this type of player that can link, playmaker, have the capacity to score, assist."
Fans have echoed Pochettino's sentiments after Palmer won the Young Player of the Year award. One fan was adamant the Chelsea star should have won the Premier League's Player of the Year award:
"Robbed of POTY but we'll take it."
Another fan acknowledged Palmer's stellar season but felt Saka and Saliba were more deserving:
"He’s had a great season no doubt, but Saka or Saliba should be winning this."
Other fans gave their take on X (formerly Twitter) with one fan insisting the Englishman has enjoyed the best debut season:
"Absolutely F'king deserved. Have you ever seen a better debut season in the PL!?"
Another fan was similarly full of praise and touched on his City departure:
"Well deserved. Leaving Manchester City was the best decision he made."
One fan dubbed him:
"My starboy."
That said, some fans disagreed with the decision and a United fan felt Mainoo should have won the award:
"Kobbie Mainoo robbed unbelievable."
Another fan thinks Foden or Saka should have beaten Palmer to the honor:
"What’s this? Foden and saka really did better than him this season, I don’t understand why they gave him. This penalty boy."
Michael Owen thinks Chelsea's Cole Palmer should start over Bukayo Saka at Euro 2024
Michael Owen argues that Chelsea's Cole Palmer should be starting over Saka for England at Euro 2024 in Germany this summer. The Liverpool icon told The Gambling Zone:
"I'd now start Cole Palmer instead of Saka. If I was Southgate... I do not think you can ignore Palmer's form and quality for any longer, I had him in the squad back in the day but now he's one of the best players in the Premier League."
Palmer will likely be turning his attention to international duty next month. He looks set to be named in Gareth Southgate's squad for Euro 2024 where he'll be hoping to play a key role for the Three Lions.
The Chelsea forward has appeared twice under Southgate whose first-choice right-winger is Arsenal's Saka. The Gunners man has been in sensational form this season with 20 goals and 14 assists in 47 games across competitions and has excelled on international duty.