Gary Neville criticised Cole Palmer for smiling and joking with his old manager Pep Guardiola after Manchester City defeated Chelsea 3-1 in the Premier League on Saturday night.
The win moved City up to fourth and ahead of Chelsea in the table, with the blues dropping to sixth as Newcastle overcame Southampton earlier in the day.
Enzo Maresca's blues had got off to the dream start at the Etihad when young defender Abdukodir Khusanov undercooked a defensive header, allowing Nico Jackson to tee up Noni Madueke for the game's opening goal.
City and Khusanov were under the cosh in the opening minutes with the Uzbekistan defender booked moments later for a rash challenge on Cole Palmer.
"Cole, you're being played mate."
Gary Neville says Chelsea fans would not have wanted to see Cole Palmer smiling and talking to Pep Guardiola after their defeat to Man City 🎙️ pic.twitter.com/Rl8k0CTMaf
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 25, 2025
But Chelsea failed to capitalise on the home side's vulnerability. They should have gone two goals in front when Palmer and Jackson raced through on goal only for Palmer to overhit his pass, allowing the City defence time to recover.
Guardiola's side gradually grew into the game with new signing Omar Marmoush impressing up front. Josko Gvardiol spurned a number of chances to level up the game before he succeeded third time lucky, reacting quickest after Sanchez saved from Marmoush.
That left the scores level at the break but there was only one team in it in the second half with Chelsea fading disappointingly. Haaland put City a goal to the good on 68 minutes before Phil Foden rounded off the scoring late on, sealing a disappointing day for Chelsea.
Pep Guardiola speaking to Cole Palmer at full-time 👀 pic.twitter.com/QsHdjPfCF6
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 25, 2025
Afterwards, Gary Neville was very critical of Palmer.
“I want to say something about Cole Palmer, he was talking to Pep Guardiola on the pitch right at the end of the game and he was smiling with him, Pep Guardiola does that.
“Cole, you’re being played, you’re being played here, you didn’t do enough out on that pitch in the second half," said Neville.
“He’s an amazing player, absolutely brilliant, but you know something, those Chelsea fans that travelled today, the 3,000 or 4,000 in that far corner wanted better than that, they don’t really want to see you conversing with your opposition manager and smiling at the end of the game.
"I'm not being old school here but there's something about that."
“I thought Pep Guardiola’s playing you here, I know he’s had him, but he didn’t play him here and he sold him.
“Having a conversation inside I’m not against that, obviously he’s played for the manager. But I just felt at the end there’s something about it I didn’t feel was right from a Cole Palmer perspective.
“I know why Pep Guardiola’s done it, that’s what Pep Guardiola does, but if I’d lost 3-1 away from home and had been as disappointed as I am and Cole Palmer, I expected more from him in the second half.”
