Chelsea Penalty Drama: Cole Palmer, Mauricio Pochettino React

Chelsea manager, Mauricio Pochettino, has slammed his players for fighting over a penalty kick during their 6-0 win over Everton.

Everton was beaten 4-0 when Noni Madueke was knocked down in the penalty box. The referee awarded Chelsea a penalty for the foul.

Madueke stepped up to take the kick, and Nicolas Jackson also showed interest in it. The two players were seen battling for the ball before the oldest player on the pitch, Thiago Silva, helped to settle the dispute by persuading Nicolas Jackson to leave the ball for Madueke.

While Madueke was getting ready to take the spot-kick, Chelsea’s designated penalty taker, Cole Palmer, who was already on a hat-trick, forcefully took the ball from him and converted the spot-kick.

While reacting to the incident after the 6-0 win over Everton, coach Pochettino said: “First of all, I want to tell you to make clear that they know, the players know, the staff know, the club know that the taker on penalties is Cole Palmer.”

He added: “I told them this is the last time I accept this type of behaviour. They’re all, involved in this situation, all out next time.”

“This is not a joke. It is impossible after a performance like this.”

Cole Palmer, who moved to Chelsea from Manchester City last summer, has scored 25 goals and provided 13 assists in 41 appearances across all competitions. He stressed that the incident showed the team’s hunger to win games.

He said, “Other players wanted to take it which was understandable, the game was 4-0. But I’m the penalty taker and I wanted to take it so I took it.

“But I think we are just trying to show that everyone wants to take responsibility and stuff like that. Maybe it was a bit of an over-the-top argument, but everyone wants to win and help.

“But it was nothing major and we were laughing and joking about it. But the gaffer has told us now.”