Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior hails ‘unstoppable’ Cole Palmer following hat-trick

Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior lauded Cole Palmer's "unstoppable" performance after his first-half hat-trick secured a 3-1 win over Wolves at Molineux.

The England international netted two penalties and a superb finish into the top corner. His ear-covering celebration was seen as a response to recent reports of him being unsettled in west London.

This marked the 23-year-old's third first-half treble for the club and his fourth overall in the Premier League, surpassing Chelsea legends Frank Lampard, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, and Didier Drogba.

Despite tactical adjustments, including Enzo Fernandez in an unfamiliar advanced left role, Rosenior – now with four league wins from four – wants more of the same from the former Manchester City forward.

“I don’t want him to change, that’s for sure,” he said. “We changed the system a little bit for the first time in the first half.

“Some of our passages of play, some of our football, was everything I wanted to see and he was a part of that.

“We know what a world-class player he is. He’s played a lot of football over the last year with not much rest. When he’s at his best, he’s unstoppable. I’m delighted to be working with him.”

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Palmer’s hat-trick moved him beyond the 50-goal mark since making his £40million move from the Etihad in 2023 and seemed to herald a return to his free-scoring best.

It could not have come at a better moment for Rosenior, who has faced constant questioning over the player’s form, fitness and state of mind since arriving in January.

He has had his minutes carefully managed by the club since returning in November from a groin injury and is yet to enjoy a run of matches under the new manager.

“When he’s fully firing and feeling good he’s a magnificent footballer,” said Rosenior.

“When you’re at this club with these demands and scrutiny, which I’m starting to learn myself, you have to block out the noise and remember what a good player you are.

“I love working with him. He loves being here. Hopefully now he can really enjoy his football between now and the end of the season.”

Wolves, who remain 18 points adrift of 17th place, were authors of their own demise in the first half, Matt Doherty and Yerson Mosquera gifting penalties through ridiculous fouls on Joao Pedro, who was nowhere near the goal on either occasion.

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“My hand is feeling the effects of thumping a door in anger,” said boss Rob Edwards, who watched his team lose for the 10th time in the league since his appointment in November.

“It was a really promising start then a couple of really ludicrous mistakes. It’s going to be a really difficult day for us then.

“Then, looking at the lads, it looked like how it felt when we first came in. They get the third and then it’s about stopping the bleeding.”