Cole Palmer’s brilliant debut season at Chelsea continued this week as the 21-year-old scored his 22nd goal of the Premier League campaign at Brighton.
Having struggled for minutes at Manchester City last season, Palmer has been a revelation since signing for Chelsea and trails only former teammate Erling Haaland in the Golden Boot standings as we head into the final weekend.
Only Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe have more goal contributions than Palmer in Europe’s top five leagues this season, an incredible feat given this is the forward’s first full season at this level.
Following his latest strike, he’s now entered the top five for goals scored in a single Premier League season for Chelsea.
Most Premier League goals scored for Chelsea in a single season:
Cole Palmer – 22* (2023/24)
What a talent. What an impact. Cole Palmer’s performances this season have pundits and fans scratching their heads as to how Manchester City let him leave last summer.
The 21-year-old had failed to break into Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering side amid some formidable competition but has proven he belongs at the highest level in a Chelsea shirt. Since scoring his first goal for the Blues against Burnley in October, Palmer has been the shining light of Mauricio Pochettino’s side.
He scored a hat-trick in a thrilling 4-3 win over Manchester United at Stamford Bridge and four times during a ruthless performance against Everton less than a fortnight later.
Palmer now has 22 goals and 10 assists in the Premier League this season, leading the league for combined goals and assists alongside Erling Haaland and Ollie Watkins.
Palmer again… 🎶#CFC | #BhaChe pic.twitter.com/89jZqRXrIj
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) May 15, 2024
An England debut arrived in November and he’s placed himself in contention for a starting role at Euro 2024 in the summer. Having already claimed Chelsea’s Player of the Season and Players’ Player of the Season awards, he’s in contention for the Premier League and PFA end-of-season accolades.
Frank Lampard – 22 goals (2009/10)
Frank Lampard became the greatest goalscoring midfielder the Premier League has seen during his time at Chelsea and produced the most prolific campaign of his career in 2009/10.
Chelsea became the seventh English club to win a Premier League and FA Cup double under Carlo Ancelotti and did so in free-scoring fashion. The Blues became the first team since Tottenham in 1962/63 to score a century of goals in a top-flight league season and set a number of then-Premier League records including for most goals (103) and best goal difference (+71).
147 #PL goals ‼️
3 #PL titles 🏆Frank Lampard signed for @ChelseaFC #OnThisDay 18 years ago… pic.twitter.com/hrim4Qwy2A
— Premier League (@premierleague) June 14, 2019
Lampard scored 22 goals from midfield and laid on 14 assists for the title winners.
Iconic Duos: Lampard and Drogba – Chelsea’s relentless history makers
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink – 23 goals (2000/01 and 2001/02)
Chelsea equalled the Premier League transfer record to sign Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink from Atletico Madrid, agreeing a £15m deal to bring the former Leeds forward back to the Premier League.
A Golden Boot winner at Elland Road, Hasselbaink became only the second player – after Alan Shearer – to finish as the Premier League’s leading scorer for two different clubs in his debut season at Stamford Bridge.
Just so, so good from @jf9hasselbaink! 💥#MUNCHE pic.twitter.com/11rjBcuR8b
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) October 23, 2020
It was the first of consecutive 23-goal campaigns for the Dutchman, who missed out to Thierry Henry for the Golden Boot by just one goal in 2001/02.
Hasselbaink scored 87 goals in 177 appearances for Chelsea in all competitions before departing for Middlesbrough in 2004.
Golazo Merchants: Thunder-thighed hitman, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink
Didier Drogba – 29 goals (2009/10)
Didier Drogba holds the record for the most Premier League goals scored for Chelsea in a single season.
The Ivorian hit 29 league goals during Chelsea’s title-winning campaign of 2009/10, including a final-day hat-trick as the Blues were confirmed champions with an 8-0 win against Wigan.
Didier Drogba at his clinical best 😍#GoalOfTheDay @ChelseaFC pic.twitter.com/d4yozufGIQ
— Premier League (@premierleague) June 29, 2020
Drogba’s return was the best of his career and earned the forward the Premier League’s Golden Boot for a second time, having previously won the award with 20 goals in 2006/07.
Read – Noughties Nines: Didier Drogba – Cup final King
See more – Gianfranco Zola: The little genius who dropped jaws and opened minds
