Chelsea fans unanimously demand the removal of one star from the lineup.

Chelsea fans are clearly expressing disappointment with Cole Palmer's performance, following the heavy 0-3 defeat against Manchester City in the Premier League's 32nd round at Stamford Bridge on April 12.

Chelsea suffers a heavy defeat, Palmer disappoints

In the first half, Chelsea was the slightly better team and created several notable opportunities. Players like Pedro Neto, Joao Pedro, and Cole Palmer all had threatening moments against the opponent's goal but failed to convert them into goals. Even Marc Cucurella once put the ball into the net, but the goal was not recognized due to an offside violation.

The turning point came in the second half when Manchester City surged powerfully. In the 51st minute, Nico O’Reilly headed in to open the scoring for the away team. Just 6 minutes later, Rayan Cherki continued to shine with his second assist in the match, helping Marc Guehi double the lead. By the 68th minute, Jeremy Doku scored to seal the 3-0 victory, ending a forgettable day for the home team.

Cole Palmer faces severe criticism

Despite playing the full 90 minutes, Cole Palmer left little impact. The English midfielder created 2 chances and had 1 shot on target, but did not complete any dribbles in his 2 attempts. Additionally, he lost 6 out of 7 duels, showing a clear disadvantage.

Palmer's declining form is becoming a worrying issue, as he has only scored 1 goal in his last 9 appearances across all competitions.

On social media platform X, many Chelsea fans could not hide their disappointment. One user wrote: “Put him on the bench, for his own sake.”

Another opinion was even more harsh: “Palmer should leave the club; if he stays, he might only become a good player in the Championship.”

Other comments also suggested that the 23-year-old midfielder's form has declined for a long time, even risking losing his spot for the World Cup if he does not improve his performance. On the other hand, there were also defending opinions stating that Palmer has not yet worked under the guidance of a truly suitable manager.

The defeat against Manchester City not only puts Chelsea in a difficult position in the league standings but also increases pressure on several individuals, especially Cole Palmer. If he does not quickly regain his form, the English star could entirely face the risk of losing his starting position during the crucial phase of the season.