Cole Palmer Thrives Under Xabi Alonso at Chelsea

Cole Palmer says Xabi Alonso has unlocked a new version of him at Chelsea – by telling him to forget the “safe zones” and roam wherever he can hurt teams.

The 24-year-old has opened the season sharply, scoring and assisting in Monday night’s 3-2 Premier League win over Fulham, a performance that underlined his growing influence under the new head coach.

Palmer dazzled in his first year at Stamford Bridge but spent much of last season wrestling with form and fitness. The dip cost him a place in England’s World Cup squad. Now he looks like a player released.

“He [Alonso] just said I'd have more freedom to drift about the pitch,” Palmer told Sky Sports. “Just like you saw [against Fulham] with the goal I scored.

“Last season, I wouldn't have even made that run because it's not a 'safe zone'. But he's saying move across that zone, drop into play, come get on the ball, create and just do what you do.”

That shift in instruction is significant at a club trying to drag itself out of mid-table. Chelsea limped to 10th in the Premier League last season, a campaign that ended with both Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior losing their jobs.

Alonso arrived at the start of the summer with a clear mandate and, crucially, serious backing. Chelsea moved for Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa in a deal worth more than £100m, adding another powerful option to an attacking midfield already built around Palmer and Joao Pedro.

The new-look trio has already picked up a nickname among some Chelsea supporters: “JP Morgan”. Palmer is not sold.

“It's a rubbish name,” he laughed. “We need to come up with something better than that.

“I think we've got a different mix of qualities. Joao can do a bit of everything. Morgan's more physical and I'm more technical, so I think we've got a good balance.”

A freer Palmer, a rebuilt attack and a manager willing to rip up the “safe zones” – Stamford Bridge suddenly has a frontline that looks ready to test the Premier League’s limits.