Eddie Howe last week insisted Newcastle United had to focus on all of Chelsea’s danger men – rather than just Cole Palmer – on Sunday afternoon. However, as the dust settles following a 2-1 defeat at Stamford Bridge, the Magpies will be fully aware they did not do nearly enough to stop the Premier League’s most in-form player.
Palmer frequently found himself in acres of space during the west London clash, while whenever Newcastle did manage to get close to him, he made light work of turning out of trouble and working an opening for himself in what was an assured performance on home soil.
“Palmer has got that ability to, whatever space he has, to be able to wriggle out of tight end situations and of course if he has too much space, he will kill you the other way, so we didn’t do with him particularly well in the opening period of the game,” Howe told reporters at full-time in west London.
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