Nicolas Jackson and Noni Madueke both wanted to take a penalty kick in Chelsea’s victory over Everton, but designated taker Cole Palmer ended up scoring. Mauricio Pochettino was unhappy with their behavior and threatened to drop them in the future. Despite the heated on-field confrontation over the penalty, Chelsea managed to secure a comfortable win over Everton, with Cole Palmer scoring four goals. Pochettino emphasized the importance of teamwork over individual achievements and stressed that such behavior will not be tolerated in the future.
Cole Palmer downplayed the incident, stating that other players wanted to take the penalty as well, but he is the designated taker. He mentioned that the argument may have been excessive but that it was a display of taking responsibility. Pochettino emphasized that Palmer is the designated penalty taker and any change in decision must be communicated in a more appropriate manner. He warned the players that such behavior will not be accepted and that there will be consequences if it happens again. The incident, although intense, did not affect Palmer’s performance on the night.
The incident between the players over the penalty kick will not impact team selection for the upcoming FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City, according to Pochettino. However, he mentioned that the players need to learn from the situation and that any repeat behavior will result in consequences. Everton manager Sean Dyche was critical of his team’s performance, admitting that they were severely lacking in intent and desire. He took responsibility for the poor showing and acknowledged the need for improvement in tackling and overall performance to avoid such heavy defeats.
Everton faced an additional setback as they lodged an appeal against a two-point penalty imposed by the Premier League for financial rule violations. The team is currently just two points above the relegation zone and will need to improve their performance to secure their position in the league. Pochettino highlighted the need for his team to grow and learn from their mistakes, emphasizing that such behavior will not be accepted in a professional setting. Despite the incident, Chelsea’s dominant performance over Everton showcased their strength as a collective unit.
