The astonishing Premier League table since Cole Palmer made his Chelsea debut
Cole Palmer has been nothing short of world-class since signing for Chelsea in September 2023 – but exactly how have his influential performances affected the Premier League table?
Eyebrows were raised when a scrambling Chelsea threw £40million at Manchester City to sign Palmer in the summer 2023 transfer window, taking the club’s spending to £419million for that summer’s business alone.
Palmer inked a seven-year deal at Stamford Bridge, despite having only played 41 times for City’s first-team, leading to plenty of valid questions over the transfer fee and pressure he would now shoulder.
Just over 12 months later and it cannot be made any clearer that the wizard from Wythenshawe simply does not feel pressure. At all.
In fact, we’re sick of how regularly we’re seeing him remind us with his now iconic ‘cold’ celebration.
The now 22-year-old defied all expectations in his first season in London, scoring 22 goals and assisting 17 in all competitions before being named the PFA Young Player of the Year.
Highlights included a hat-trick against Manchester United, a four-goal haul against Everton and taking social media by storm with his nonchalant personality, before going to EURO 2024 and scoring in the final in an eventual defeat to Spain.
Palmer has immediately silenced any doubters ready to play the ‘one-season wonder’ card, too, with an electric start to the 2024-25 campaign under Enzo Maresca.
He managed a goal and three assists against Wolves in matchday two and has left everyone’s jaw unhinged again against Brighton, becoming the first player in Premier League history to bag four goals inside the first half of a game.
The sky is the limit for the attacking midfielder, who has propped Chelsea up and been a force to be reckoned with despite plenty of noise around the club on the outside.
We’ve compiled the Premier League table since he made his Chelsea debut as a substitute against Nottingham Forest on 2 September. There aren’t too many shocks, but what the data does show is that Chelsea have been significantly closer to the top four once again since his arrival.
They finished sixth last season under Mauricio Pochettino, some five points behind Aston Villa in fourth, but the overall table since he joined has them just two points behind Unai Emery’s side and in fifth, ahead of Tottenham and Manchester United.
To clarify, we’ve not included the three teams who were relegated last season, nor have we included the three promoted sides.
Table correct as of 28/9/2024 – 17:00
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1. Arsenal – 96 points, GD +67
2. Manchester City – 96 points, GD +65
3. Liverpool – 87 points, GD +51
4. Aston Villa – 74 points, GD +16
5. Chelsea – 72 points, GD +21
6. Newcastle – 68 points, GD +28
7. Tottenham – 66 points, GD +13
8. Manchester United – 61 points, GD -1
9. Fulham – 55 points, GD -1
10. Bournemouth – 52 points, GD -12
11. Everton – 52 points, GD -13
12. Brighton – 51 points, GD -9
13. West Ham – 50 points, GD -22
14. Crystal Palace – 48 points, GD -5
15. Wolves – 44 points GD -21
16. Nottingham Forest – 42 points, GD -16
17. Brentford – 41 points, GD -14