‘It’s a shame’

Mauricio Pochettino has admitted that the heated penalty situation involving Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson and Noni Madueke in Chelsea’s win over Everton on Monday was unacceptable.

Thanks to a second hat-trick in as many games from Palmer and a well-taken strike from Jackson, Chelsea led 4-0 at half-time in a comfortable evening at Stamford Bridge.

In the second half, Palmer went down in the box before Madueke was wiped out by James Tarkowski which led to Paul Tierney pointing to the spot, with all eyes on Palmer as he stepped up for the chance to add a fourth goal and Chelsea’s fifth.

As Conor Gallagher handed the ball to Palmer, Madueke and Jackson tried to snatch it off the forward which resulted in ugly scenes as the trio scuffled over who would take it.

Palmer took on the responsibility, much to the disappointment of Jackson and Madueke, and coolly dispatched the ball to Jordan Pickford’s left for his seventh goal in two games.

After the game, Chelsea manager Pochettino said it was a “really, really sad situation” that will not be tolerated in the future.

“It’s a shame, it’s a shame,” he told Sky Sports. “We cannot behave in this way. I told them that this is the last time that [I will] accept this type of behaviour. All [of the players] involved in this situation, all out the next time.

“That is not a joke, it’s impossible after a performance like this to have this type of behaviour.

“If we want to be a big team fighting for big things, we need to change more in the collective way. I made clear today to the fans and to everyone that Cole Palmer is the [penalty] taker. If Palmer wants to give the ball to another then he can, but not in this way.

“That is a really, really sad situation that happened, and I’m not going to accept that happening again.”

Like Pochettino did, Palmer also insisted he was the penalty taker following the game and described the situation as “over the top”.

“Other players wanted to take it which is understandable,” Palmer added. “The game was 4-0, but I am the penalty taker and I wanted to take it, so in the end I took it.

“I think we’re just trying to show that everyone wants to take responsibility. Maybe the argument was a bit over the top, but everyone wants to win and help.

“It’s nothing major, we were laughing and joking about it, but the gaffer has told us now.”

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