Football Features

    Chelsea 4-3 Man Utd: Player ratings as Cole Palmer breaks a Premier League record with first senior hat-trick

    By James Amey

    Published: 22:49, 4 April 2024

    We may have witnessed the game of the season at Stamford Bridge. 

    In possibly the most open game of Premier League football we have seen in recent times, Chelsea came out victorious after Cole Palmer scored twice deep into stoppage time to turn the game on it’s head and secure his first senior hat-trick.

    The Blues raced into a 2-0 lead inside the opening 19 minutes after Conor Gallagher’s strike and Cole Palmer’s penalty looked to have put them into a comfortable lead. However, after Moises Caicedo’s mistake let in Alejandro Garnacho and Bruno Fernandes’ headed in a pinpoint cross from Diogo Dalot, we went in all square at the break.

    Alejandro Garnacho’s second of the game after one of the assists of the season from Antony looked to have secured all three points for Erik ten Hag’s side, but nobody was prepared for what was going to happen next.

    First, Cole Palmer calmly slotted his 8th penalty of the season in the 90+10′ minute after Madueke had been fouled by Diogo Dalot, before he secured his first ever Premier League hat-trick just one minute later with the latest ever winning goal in Premier League history.

    Here’s how the players rated at Stamford Bridge:

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    Chelsea

    Djordje Petrovic – 6 – Had no chance with any of the three goals he conceded.

    Malo Gusto – 6.5 – His deflected cross led to the opening goal as he looke to push on down the right-hand side at every opportunity.

    Axel Disasi – 7.5 – Originally made a mistake that looked like it set Man Utd away, but he soon made up with it with his incredible pace and a fine block. Won more duels and more aerial duels than any other Chelsea player.

    Benoît Badiashile – 5.5 – His poor touch led to Manchester United’s third goal.

    Marc Cucurella – 5 – Won the penalty in the first half after a rare trip forward. Played most of the game as almost a third centre-back, but struggled with Antony in the second half as the Brazilian ran past him on more than one occasion.

    Enzo Fernández – 7.5 – His fantasic ball to set Gusto free started the move for Chelsea’s opener and he provided the assist for Cole Palmer’s late, late winner. Had more touches than any other player and played some nice passes between the lines, starting countless attacks.

    Moisés Caicedo – 4.5 – Started Manchester United’s first-half comeback with a gift for Alejandro Garnacho after his sloppy pass left the Argentinian one-on-one with Petrovic. Bruno Fernandes glided past him time after time and he looked lost in Chelsea’s midfield on more than once occasion.

    Mykhailo Mudryk – 7 – Looked a constant threat down the left-hand side as he battled hard with Wan-Bissaka, but drifted out of the game before being replaced.

    Conor Gallagher – 7.5 – Opened the scoring after just four minutes to make it five goals across all competitions this season and his third in the Premier League. Unlucky not to add a second after he saw his effort come back off the post in first half stoppage time, but never stopped running as he closed everything down.

    Cole Palmer – 9.99 –  A senasational performance to secure all three points for his side with his first senior hat-trick. Scored his 14th Premier League goal of the season with a cooly taken penalty to put Chelsea 2-0 up inside the opening 20 minutes, before adding a further two goals in stoppage time to win the game for his side to make it 16 league goals and secure an incredible late hat-trick. Only Frank Lampard (10 in 2009/10) has netted more from the spot for the Blues in a single Premier League campaign than the 21-year-old (8).

    Every good thing Chelsea did during the game went through him as he made it 24 league goal involvements for the season in another incredible performance at Stamford Bridge. Sent Diogo Dalot for a hot dog with some magnificent skill midway through the first half, created twice as many chances than any other player on the pitch (8), including a brilliant ball for Conor Gallagher, who saw his shot re-bound off the post.

    His goal was the latest winning goal in Premier League history (90+11′).

    Nicolas Jackson – 6 – Worked tirelessly for his side, but had limited chances.

    Substitutes:

    Raheem Sterling (for Mudryk 71′) – 5 – Offered little.

    Carney Chukwuemeka (for Caicedo 71′) – 6 – Slotted straight into midfield.

    Alfie Gilchrist (for Gusto 75′) – 6 – Offered a bit more steel to the backline.

    Trevoh Chalobah (for Disasi 75′) – 6 – Didn’t put a foot wrong after coming on.

    Noni Madueke (for Gallagher 89′) – 7.5 – Only came on in the 89th minute, but won the game winning penalty after being fouled by Diogo Dalot in the box.

    Man Utd

    André Onana – 6.5 – Had no chance with either penalty, but could have done better with Conor Gallagher’s opener. His throw was crucial in the lead up to Bruno Fernandes’ goal.

    Aaron Wan-Bissaka – 7 – Battled well with Mudryk all game, making four interceptions and three tackles as he came out on top.

    Raphaël Varane – 6 – Had to be replaced at HT by Jonny Evans after Manchester United suffered another injury at centre-back. No player won possession more times (5) during his time on the pitch.

    Harry Maguire – 6 – Manchester United’s only fit senior centre-back had some wobbles in the first half, diving in when he should have stayed on his feet. Made some important blocks in the second half however.

    Diogo Dalot – 4 – Cole Palmer had him on toast for the entire game, toying with him at times as he struggled defensively, but put in a fantastic cross for Bruno Fernandes to head in the equaliser. Cost Manchester United all three points as he gave away the second penalty of the game deep into stoppage time.

    Casemiro – 5 – Looks a shadow of his former self. Constantly caught out of position and struggling to get back on more than one occasion and winning just one of his four ground duels and failing to make a single tackle before being replaced in the second half.

    Kobbie Mainoo – 5.5 – Sloppily gave the ball away for Chelsea’s opening goal of the game and never really recovered. Got lost in the midfield having made some superb performances for club and country in recent weeks.

    Antony – 8 – It started off poorly for the Brazilian as he gave away a penalty after just 19 minutes as he brought down Marc Cucrella in the box, but boy did he make up for it in the second half. An incredible Trivela pass, one of the assists of the season, allowed Garnacho to head in Manchester United’s winner as he recorded his Premier League goal involvement of the season.

    “He’s provided us in the second half with one of the passes of the season” Ally McCoist declared on commentary and he wasn’t wrong

    Bruno Fernandes – 7 – Levelled up the game with a rare headed goal five minutes before the break to make it five Premier League goals for the season. All of his league goals in 2023/24 have either been the winning goal of the game or the equaliser

    Alejandro Garnacho – 8.5 – Scored twice in a Premier League game for the third time in 2023/24, becoming the first teenager to score 2+ goals in 3+ Premier League matches in a single season since Michael Owen in 1998/99. His first goal was put on a plate for him by Moises Caicedo, showing composure to wrong foot Petrovic when one-one-one before heading in his second of the evening after an incredible pass by Antony.

    He has now scored more Premier League goals than any other teenager so far this season.

    Rasmus Højlund – 6 – Barely had a sniff in front of goal before being replaced by Marcus Rashford after 66 minutes. Did create four chances during his time on the pitch however.

    Substitutes:

    Jonny Evans (for Varane 45′) – 7 – Only lasted 20 minutes before having to be replaced himself through injury, but during his time on the pitch he made two vital blocks.

    Willy Kambwala (for Evans 66′) – 6 – Didn’t look out of place alongside Maguire in the Man Utd backline.

    Marcus Rashford (for Hojlund 66′) – 6 – Started from the bench this evening, but made little impact after coming on.

    Scott McTominay (for Casemiro 75′) – 5 – Came on to tighten up United’s midfield but ended up deflecting Cole Palmer’s strike past his goalkeeper.

    Mason Mount (for Garnacho 85′) – N/A – A late sub.

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