By Frank Dalleres
Manchester City youth product Cole Palmer proved a point to his former club by coolly converting a 97th-minute penalty to earn Chelsea a 4-4 draw in one of the all-time great Premier League matches.
City signed Palmer as an eight-year-old but cashed in on him in the summer and that decision came back to bite them at the end of a barnstorming classic played in pouring rain at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Thiago Silva, Raheem Sterling and Nicolas Jackson also netted for Chelsea, who led 2-1 only for the champions to roar back through Manuel Akanji, Erling Haaland’s second goal and a Rodri strike that deflected past Robert Sanchez.
“I was excited before the game to see some faces and show what I could do,” said Palmer, 21. “It was very strange. It’s the first time I’ve played against City since I left. I’ve got the utmost respect for them.”
On the penalty, dispatched high past Ederson and his fourth successful spot-kick since the £40m transfer, he added: “I felt confident. Just keep calm, focus and strike. I work on them and thankfully it went in.”
The result means City have a one-point lead at the top of the Premier League heading into the international break, while Chelsea are 10th and have got a result against each of the top four.
“That is why we say the Premier League is the best in the world and if we want to build something special here at Chelsea this is how we have to play,” said manager Mauricio Pochettino.
Haaland put City ahead from the spot against the run of play after Marc Cucurella was penalised for grappling with him, but Thiago Silva’s glancing header and Sterling’s tap-in turned the match on its head.
Akanji headed City’s equaliser just before half-time and Haaland bundled in another soon after the restart as the game swung back in their favour, and though Jackson levelled, Rodri appeared to have won it.
But Palmer got the chance to snatch a point after substitute Armando Broja was chopped down by Ruben Dias and, as with previous penalties against Tottenham, Arsenal and Burnley, kept his cool to convert.
“People expect us to come here and win 0-7, that is not going to happen,” said City manager Pep Guardiola. “They are trying to build a new era and have a top quality team. The important thing is we are going into the international break and we are top.”
Earlier in the Premier League, Liverpool climbed to second in the table with a 3-0 home win over Brentford inspired by two goals from Mohamed Salah.
Aston Villa beat Fulham 3-1 to claim a post-war club record-equalling 13th home top-flight win in succession, Tomas Soucek headed a late winner as West Ham overcame Nottingham Forest 3-2, and an Adam Webster own goal handed struggling Sheffield United a 1-1 draw at Brighton.
