Palmer: Alonso gives me freedom, I feel great now

Cole Palmer says he "hasn't felt this good in a long time" and is putting last season's struggles behind him after a strong start under Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso, according to Sky Sports.

Palmer, 24, endured a difficult 2024-25 season, suffering a groin injury that limited him to just two appearances between August and December.

Although he ultimately scored 10 Premier League goals, a return of just one goal in eight games at the end of the season saw him miss out on England's World Cup squad.

On Monday, Palmer put that disappointment behind him, scoring in Chelsea's opening game of the season against Fulham to help secure a 3-2 victory. His performance once again showcased his star quality.

Palmer told Sky Sports: "Physically, I feel good, probably the best I have in a long time, but I think I can get even better with more games and more minutes."

"Before the groin injury, I actually never really got injured, or very rarely. So I always thought about coming back and playing, but actually, I shouldn't have been on the pitch then."

"Obviously, the World Cup was coming up, so I was in a bit of a dilemma at the time, thinking: 'If I don't play, I won't go; but if I play, I won't be able to perform normally.'"

"It was a really tricky situation. I really didn't know how to handle it at the time, but it's in the past now. I met different people and heard different opinions, trying to figure out why I got injured and what exactly was injured."

"Since coming back, I've been working hard every day to prevent it from happening again. I just want to stay injury-free, and as long as I'm on the pitch, I know what I can do."

"He (Alonso) just told me I'd have more freedom to roam around the pitch. As you saw, that's what happened with my goal against Fulham."

"Last season, I wouldn't even have made that run forward because it wasn't in the so-called 'safe zone'. But he's now told me to get into that area, drop back to receive the ball, get on the ball, create chances – just do what I'm supposed to do."

This new sense of freedom could help Palmer, João Pedro, and new signing Morgan Rogers form a threatening attacking trio. All three scored against Fulham at Craven Cottage.

Palmer is excited about the understanding forming between the three.

He said: "I think we all have different qualities. João can do a bit of everything, Morgan is stronger, and I'm more technical, so I think it's a balanced combination."

The victory over Fulham gave Chelsea a perfect start, and with Alonso's coaching ability and no European commitments this season, some believe the Blues could be dark horses for the title.

Gary Neville stated on Monday Night Football that Arsenal might be too strong to overtake. However, he also believes Chelsea are in a good position and fancies them to challenge for the title.

Palmer revealed that the team is not getting ahead of itself.

Palmer said: "We haven't even talked about it yet. It's too early to talk about the title – we've only played one game."

When asked if he believes the team has the quality to compete, Palmer replied: "Yes, I think so."

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