Chelsea hero Joe Cole has labelled Cole Palmer an \u2018absolute genius\u2019 and believes the youngster\u2019s ability to keep his cool after an awkward row over penalty duties against Everton proved he is \u2018not a wallflower\u2019.<\/p>\n Palmer is enjoying a magnificent debut season with Chelsea following a \u00a342.5million deadline day move from Manchester City last summer, with the 21-year-old racking up 23 goals in 38 games this term.<\/p>\n Four goals versus Everton on Monday night put Palmer level with Erling Haaland at the top of the Premier League goalscoring charts and the attacking midfielder will be itching to add to that tally against a wounded Arsenal next week.<\/p>\n Eyebrows had been raised over the size of the fee paid for Palmer but the Chelsea starlet has emphatically proven his doubters wrong and appears a shoo-in for Gareth Southgate\u2019s England squad ahead of this summer\u2019s European Championships.<\/p>\n However, Palmer\u2019s heroics in a thumping 6-0 victory over Everton were somewhat overshadowed by an incident in the second half after referee Paul Tierney awarded Mauricio Pochettino\u2019s side a penalty, with the hosts already holding a four-goal lead.<\/p>\n Nicolas Jackson and Noni Madueke argued over who should take the spot-kick, before Palmer \u2013 Chelsea\u2019s regular penalty taker \u2013 grabbed the ball and converted to score his fourth of the evening. <\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t the first time Chelsea\u2019s players have clashed over penalty duties this season and an enraged Pochettino stressed that he would no longer be tolerating such behaviour at his post-match press conference.<\/p>\n \u2018It\u2019s fantastic he has got that mindset \u2013 he is not a wallflower,\u2019 former Chelsea and England winger Cole told PA when asked for his view on the incident.<\/p>\n \u2018He is a proper player, he will go anywhere on the pitch and take the ball, he backs himself.<\/p>\n \u2018Sometimes people can look at that with disdain, saying it\u2019s arrogance. It\u2019s not arrogance. We need it and we need more players like that.\u2019<\/p>\n Cole believes Southgate has to take Palmer to Germany to give England the best possible chance of triumphing this summer.<\/p>\n \u2018He has been sensational and there is an argument he could be Player of the Year \u2013 that\u2019s how good he has been. You have to bring a player of that quality,\u2019 he added.<\/p>\n \u2018The technicians are what are going to win us the tournament. They all have to go and they all have to have time on the pitch.<\/p>\n \u2018Palmer is a top player. I have watched him play and he is a top, top player. Cole Palmer is an absolute genius.\u2019<\/p>\n Earlier this month, Cole named the \u2018outstanding\u2019 Palmer as his \u2018signing of the season\u2019 in the Premier League.<\/p>\n \u2018I can\u2019t see an argument against, for the money Chelsea paid for him and the age he\u2019s at and what he\u2019s done for Chelsea,\u2019 he said on TNT Sports.<\/p>\n \u2018I shudder to think where Chelsea would be if Cole Palmer hadn\u2019t put pen to paper. He\u2019s been that good, he really has.<\/p>\n \u2018There have been three or four or five players at the club that I think have done well this year, but he\u2019s been outstanding. He really has.\u2019<\/p>\n For more stories like this,\u00a0check our sport page<\/strong>.<\/p>\n![\"Chelsea](\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/GettyImages-2148963157.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&zoom=1&resize=644%2C428\")
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