Mauricio Pochettino has stated that he will continue to use Cole in whatever position he deems appropriate for his Chelsea side, amid criticisms he has often played the youngster out of position.

Palmer, who can play as an attacking midfielder and a winger, has occasionally been used as a striker by Pochettino. However, the 21-year-old, has seemed to struggle when played as a nine, leading to some fans protesting the idea, as was the case after Chelsea’s recent 0-0 draw with Aston Villa in the FA Cup fourth round.

Asked which position is best for Palmer, Pochettino said: “I prefer him on the pitch at the moment!

“But be careful because after [reading this] he may feel he will [always] play! He is still young and needs to improve and to keep performing this way.”

The Argentine also addressed claims that Palmer hasn’t done well when deployed as a nine instead of a winger or a midfielder.

He said: “No, I think he cannot score in every single game. If he did, we should maybe not call him Cole Palmer, we should call him maybe Leo [Messi].

“No, it is not about his position – and his potential is massive. It’s just sometimes you score or not. Sometimes you have better nights but he is doing well.

“He is a player who can play in different positions and you can see and feel that we never talk about his performances because he is always doing really good. It’s just that sometimes he scores or doesn’t score, but he always finds amazing chances in the game.”