Cole Palmer capped a spectacular night with two late doubles that powered Chelsea to an epic 4-3 win over Man United on Thursday night.
Cole Palmer scored twice deep into stoppage time to complete a hat-trick as Chelsea stunned Manchester United 4-3 on Thursday, all but ending their hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League.
Erik ten Hag’s men appeared set for a vital win after storming back from 2-0 down to lead 3-2 in a breathless game containing a combined 47 shots.
But boyhood United fan Palmer turned the game on its head, levelling from the penalty spot in the 100th minute and then netting the winner moments later in a frantic end to the game at Stamford Bridge.
United were still ahead at 99 minutes 17 seconds, the latest a side has ever led in a Premier League match they have gone on to lose.
The bitter defeat leaves sixth-placed United 11 points off fourth-placed Aston Villa with just eight games to play and facing a season outside Europe’s elite club competition.
But it lifts Mauricio Pochettino’s side to 10th spot in the table, keeping them in the hunt for a European place after an inconsistent season.
Pochettino said his team had started well but the way they conceded “affected the team in an emotional way”.
The Argentine, in his first season at Stamford Bridge, praised 21-year-old Palmer, who has been the club’s standout player since he joined in September.
“The impact is amazing,” he told the BBC. “He is doing a fantastic job. It is difficult to talk more about him. Today he showed the mentality and the quality.
“I said ‘Cole, two minutes more and to believe’.”
