Cole Palmer scored twice deep into injury time to complete a hat-trick as Chelsea beat Manchester United 4-3 on Thursday, all but ending their hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League. Erik ten Hag’s men looked set for a crucial victory after storming back from 2-0 down to take a 3-2 lead in a breathless encounter that saw a total of 47 shots. But childhood United fan Palmer turned the game on its head, equalizing from the penalty spot in the 100th minute and scoring the winner moments later in a frantic end to the match at Stamford Bridge.
United were still ahead by 99 minutes and 17 seconds, the last a side has ever been ahead in a Premier League match that they subsequently lost.
The bitter defeat leaves sixth-placed United 11 points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa with just eight games left to play and a season outside Europe’s elite club competition.
But it lifts Mauricio Pochettino’s side to 10th in the table, leaving them in the hunt for a European spot after an inconsistent season.
Pochettino said his team had started well but the way they conceded “affected the team in an emotional way”.
In his first season at Stamford Bridge, the Argentine praised 21-year-old Palmer, who has been the club’s standout player since joining in September.
“The impact is astonishing,” he told the BBC. “He’s doing a fantastic job. It’s hard to talk about him anymore. Today he showed the mentality and the quality.”
“I said, ‘Cole, two more minutes and then believe.'”
Lightning start
Chelsea came into the match without a win against Manchester United in twelve Premier League meetings, but took the lead in the fourth minute through captain Conor Gallagher.
Palmer doubled the home side’s lead with his first penalty in the 19th minute after Anthony brought down Marc Cucurella in a torrid opening for the visitors.
But United were given a lifeline in the 34th minute when Moises Caicedo inexplicably gave the ball away to Alejandro Garnacho, who charged forward and coolly slotted home.
Five minutes later they were all square when Diogo Dalot’s cross found Bruno Fernandes, who headed in at the back post.
Play varied wildly from start to finish in a tense second period, but Garnacho headed in a precise cross from the outside of Antony’s left boot to put United ahead in the 67th minute.
The visitors seemed ready for all three points, but the referees indicated that there would be eight minutes of extra time.
Chelsea were given a lifeline when Dalot lunged at Noni Madueke and referee Jarred Gillett’s decision to award a penalty was upheld after a lengthy VAR check.
But the drama didn’t end there.
United were caught out by a quick corner from Enzo Fernandez, who played the ball too short for Palmer
The Chelsea man fired past a desperate Andre Onana using a deflection off United’s Scott McTominay to seal the win, sending the Stamford Bridge crowd wild.
“When the eight minutes came in we got a lift – madness,” Palmer told TNT Sports.
The former Manchester City player has now scored 19 goals for Chelsea since switching clubs on September 1.
“We have to try to win as many games as possible,” he said. “To win like this, there is nothing better.”
The bitter defeat has left Ten Hag under increasing pressure at United in only his second season in charge, with new co-owner Jim Ratcliffe yet to decide whether he will stay or not.
Their only remaining hope of silver lies in the FA Cup: they face Coventry in the semi-finals later this month and could face City or Chelsea in the final at Wembley.
“Definitely a setback and now we have to process this and get up,” said Ten Hag. ‘We are resilient and you saw that today.
“The quality of our football is very high, but football is about results and you have to bring that over time.”
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