Liam Rosenior lauds ‘unstoppable’ Chelsea hat-trick hero Cole Palmer

By Robert O'Connor, Press Association

Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior praised an “unstoppable” display from Cole Palmer after a first-half hat-trick laid the foundations for a 3-1 victory at Wolves.

The visitors triumphed at Molineux thanks to two penalties and a lovely finish into the roof of the goal by the England forward, who celebrated by covering his ears in response to recent reports he is unsettled in west London.

The serious talking, though, was done with his feet and it was the third time the 23-year-old has scored three before half-time for the club and his fourth treble in total in the Premier League, moving him ahead of Frank Lampard, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Didier Drogba.

Chelsea lined up with Enzo Fernandez in an unfamiliar position to the left of Palmer in an advanced three, but Rosenior – who now has four league wins from four – said that despite the tinkering he wants more of the same from the former Manchester City man.

“I don’t want him to change, that’s for sure,” he said. “We changed the system a little bit for the first time in the first half.

“Some of our passages of play, some of our football, was everything I wanted to see and he was a part of that.

“We know what a world-class player he is. He’s played a lot of football over the last year with not much rest. When he’s at his best, he’s unstoppable. I’m delighted to be working with him.”

Palmer’s hat-trick moved him beyond the 50-goal mark since making his £40million move from the Etihad in 2023 and seemed to herald a return to his free-scoring best.

It could not have come at a better moment for Rosenior, who has faced constant questioning over the player’s form, fitness and state of mind since arriving in January.

He has had his minutes carefully managed by the club since returning in November from a groin injury and is yet to enjoy a run of matches under the new manager.

“When he’s fully firing and feeling good he’s a magnificent footballer,” said Rosenior.

“When you’re at this club with these demands and scrutiny, which I’m starting to learn myself, you have to block out the noise and remember what a good player you are.

“I love working with him. He loves being here. Hopefully now he can really enjoy his football between now and the end of the season.”

Wolves, who remain 18 points adrift of 17th place, were authors of their own demise in the first half, Matt Doherty and Yerson Mosquera gifting penalties through ridiculous fouls on Joao Pedro, who was nowhere near the goal on either occasion.

“My hand is feeling the effects of thumping a door in anger,” said boss Rob Edwards, who watched his team lose for the 10th time in the league since his appointment in November.

“It was a really promising start then a couple of really ludicrous mistakes. It’s going to be a really difficult day for us then.

“Then, looking at the lads, it looked like how it felt when we first came in. They get the third and then it’s about stopping the bleeding.”