Palmer surpasses Drogba, Lampard to set new all-time Chelsea record

Cole Palmer etched his name deeper into Chelsea folklore on Saturday with another devastating individual display, producing a first-half hat trick in a 3-1 win over Wolves to break a long-standing club benchmark.

The former Manchester City forward delivered a ruthless performance at Stamford Bridge, brushing aside the achievements of some of the most celebrated figures in Chelsea’s modern history.

Palmer’s treble against Wolves was his fourth Premier League hat trick for Chelsea in just three seasons, pushing him clear of club icons Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard, who each managed three across their entire Chelsea careers.

Two confidently converted penalties set the tone before a composed finish inside the box in the 38th minute sealed both the victory and a new club record.

The feat carried even more significance given its speed. Palmer completed the hat trick inside 38 minutes, making it the third fastest in Chelsea’s Premier League history.

Remarkably, Palmer already owns the fastest and second-fastest hat tricks for the club, achieved against Everton and Brighton respectively.

On a league-wide level, the England international also became the first player in Premier League history to register three first-half hat-tricks, placing him in unique company.

Palmer’s influence stretched beyond the hat trick itself. His goals took him past John Terry into second place for most Premier League goals scored by an English player for Chelsea, moving onto 44 and leaving only Lampard ahead on 147.

Since arriving from Manchester City in 2023, Palmer has registered 44 goals in just 84 appearances, underlining his rapid rise into a central figure at Stamford Bridge.

Despite recent reports linking him with a return to Manchester, Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior has played down the speculation, with Palmer’s performances continuing to speak louder than any off-pitch noise.