Eight weeks ago Cole Palmer was the most talked-about absentee in English football. Now he is back in the England squad, and his club form is the reason why.
A Sharp Start at Stamford Bridge
Palmer opened 2026/27 with two goals and an assist in Chelsea’s first two league matches, adding five completed take-ons and three chances created. His two goals came from an expected goals figure of 0.94, the kind of overperformance that has defined his Chelsea career.
Carrying the Attack
- Chelsea scored seven goals in their opening two league games, with Palmer central to almost all of it
- He has taken on greater set-piece and penalty responsibility following Enzo Fernandez’s move to Manchester City
- Analysis last season had him contributing to roughly 43% of Chelsea’s goal output
The Defensive Problem
The caveat is at the other end. Chelsea conceded five in those same two matches and have not kept a league clean sheet in some time, which puts more weight on Palmer producing in almost every game.
Back in the Fold
Thomas Tuchel recalled Palmer on September 18, pointing directly to club performances. The full context of that decision is in our England return piece.
The Benchmark
Palmer’s early-season duel with Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka has become one of the league’s defining individual comparisons, explored further in our Saka update. Both are covered alongside the rest of the week’s biggest names in our stars to watch roundup.