Gary Neville criticises Cole Palmer for doing this after Chelsea’s defeat to Man City

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Gary Neville has taken aim at Chelsea’s Cole Palmer for engaging in a lengthy, smiling post-match conversation with his former manager, Pep Guardiola, following the Blues’ 3-1 loss to Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday night.

Neville, speaking on Sky Sports, expressed his disappointment with Palmer’s actions, suggesting that the 22-year-old was being outmaneuvered psychologically by Guardiola.

“I want to say something about Cole Palmer,” Neville began. “He was talking to Pep Guardiola on the pitch right at the end of the game and he was smiling with him. Pep Guardiola does that. Cole, you’re being played, you’re being played here. You didn’t do enough out on that pitch in the second half.”

Neville praised Palmer’s talent but stressed that Chelsea fans would not have appreciated the interaction given the result.

“He’s an amazing player, absolutely brilliant, but you know something? Those Chelsea fans that travelled today, the 3,000 or 4,000 in that far corner, wanted better than that. They don’t really want to see you conversing with your opposition manager and smiling at the end of the game.

“I’m not being old school here, but there’s something about that,” Neville added. “I thought Pep Guardiola’s playing you here. I know he’s had him, but he didn’t play him here and he sold him.”

Neville clarified he wouldn’t object to such a conversation taking place privately but felt the timing and optics were wrong.

“Having a conversation inside, I’m not against that, obviously he’s played for the manager. But I just felt at the end there’s something about it I didn’t feel was right from a Cole Palmer perspective.

“I know why Pep Guardiola’s done it. That’s what Pep Guardiola does. But if I’d lost 3-1 away from home and had been as disappointed as I am and Cole Palmer, I expected more from him in the second half.”

Palmer, who struggled to make an impact against his former club, will hope to bounce back as Chelsea look to regain their momentum in the Premier League.

1 Comment on "Gary Neville criticises Cole Palmer for doing this after Chelsea’s defeat to Man City"

  1. ‘shite’ – that’s all I can say : they would do better competing as an athletics relay team BUT definitely not a football team – no composure or ‘balls’

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