Gary Neville
was in no doubt over the ‘best player on the pitch’ during
Chelsea
’s 3-1 victory over
Premier League
champions
Liverpool
.
Chelsea boosted their hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League by
inflicting just a third league defeat on Liverpool
.
Liverpool clinched a 20th English league title last weekend
and were perhaps understandably way off the pace for much of Sunday’s clash at Stamford Bridge.
Enzo Fernandez gave Chelsea the lead after just three minutes and Jarell Quansah’s own put the hosts 2-0 up and cruising towards an important win.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk halved the deficit with an 85th-minute header but Chelsea not only held on but scored again to move three points ahead of top-five rival Nottingham Forest.
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Neville described Chelsea’s victory as ‘potentially massive’ and said Cole Palmer was the ‘best player on the pitch’.
Palmer, who has struggled of late following an excellent first-half to the season, played a role in all three of Chelsea’s goals and Neville said he was a ‘joy to watch’.
‘He’s the best player on the pitch by an absolute street,’ Neville said on
Sky Sports
commentary. ‘He’s been brilliant today, he really has.’
After naming Palmer as his Player of the Match, the ex-Manchester United and England defender added: ‘It’s been a brilliant performance from Palmer. He’s been a joy to watch.
‘He deserved that goal because he’s been the difference. A class act on the pitch throughout.’
Palmer’s movement was hailed in the build-up to Chelsea’s opener and he also played a key role in his side’s second.
The England star was then handed a chance to score his first goal since mid-January as Chelsea were awarded an injury-time penalty and made no mistake from the spot to cap off a superb performance.
Discussing Chelsea’s victory at full-time, Neville said: ‘It’s a big day for Chelsea.
‘The Champions League race seems to fluctuate from week to week but this is a statement victory for Chelsea and Enzo Maresca
‘The fans knew how big this was. Liverpool were off it but it’s all about Chelsea today.’
Chelsea are now level on points with fourth-placed Newcastle United, one behind third-placed Manchester City and four adrift of second-placed Arsenal.
The Blues conclude their Premier League campaign with three games against Newcastle, Manchester United and Nottingham Forest.
Discussing the race for Champions League football after Chelsea’s win, ex-Blues winger Pat Nevin said on
BBC Radio 5 Live
: ‘If you are a Newcastle, Forest or Villa fan this is the last thing you want to hear but this result really makes this last little period chasing the top five positions absolutely brilliant.
‘There was one little moment when Slot was going to make substitutions, he waited and Chelsea went 2-0 up. Had he done that, it might have been very different.’
Nevin added: ‘It’s a brilliant moment for the Chelsea fans, manager and the club because they needed the win.
‘They all wanted Palmer to score, he’s been getting better for weeks and he has chosen just the right way to turn it on.’
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