- Cole Palmer’s late double came in the 100th and 101st minutes of the game
- Mauricio Pochettino said the victory can be key for the club’s immediate future
- Why this is the end for Erik ten Hag at Man United – Listen to the It’s All Kicking Off podcast
Cole Palmer scored in the 10th and 11th minutes of stoppage time to secure an extraordinary comeback for Chelsea, sparking wild scenes at Stamford Bridge as manager Mauricio Pochettino led the celebrations at full-time.
Manchester United thought they had sealed their own turnaround after coming back from 2-0 down to lead 3-2, only for Palmer to strike twice against the team he supported in his youth to secure his hat-trick and the victory.
The fact that United were leading as the clock passed 99 minutes and 17 seconds meant this was the latest that a side has ever led in a Premier League match they have gone on to lose.
After a contest in which there were a staggering 47 shots – 28 for Chelsea and 19 for United – Palmer said: ‘Crazy game. When the eight minutes got added on, it gave us a lift. Madness. I didn’t know what to do. I was running round when I scored. To win like that, there is nothing better.’
Palmer’s hat-trick involved two penalties and he said: ‘A hat-trick is a hat-trick. It was my first one. I’m really happy about it. I’ve had a few penalties this season. If I get penalties, I’m going to try to score, I’m not going to try to miss.’
Cole Palmer was the hat-trick hero on the night for Chelsea and sealed a truly memorable win
Palmer was the hero in an end-to-end clash in west London that saw the sides share 47 shots
Mauricio Pochettino claimed the win will be important for ‘building a connection’ with Chelsea fans
Your browser does not support iframes.
‘When we scored he [Pochettino] said “two minutes, come on”. He’s always trying to drive us on. We went for it and thankfully we scored.
‘It’s a big winner. It’s a massive momentum booster. It puts everyone in a good mood. Hopefully we can kick on.’
Pochettino added: ‘It is a start to building a connection with the fans and it will be very helpful for the future of us.’
United manager Erik ten Hag said after all the mayhem: ‘It was an amazing game for the neutral. A fantastic football game with a lot of quality. Manchester United dominated the game but we made individual errors that cost us the game. We have to learn from it.
‘When you are a Man United player you should already know how to deal with this circumstance. I enjoyed how my team were playing, it was fantastic. We dominated the ball, we dominated the opponent.
‘In five days we dropped five points. That is unacceptable. We should have a high standard if we want to compete for Champions League football.’
United captain Bruno Fernandes added: ‘We had the game in our hands and we gave it away. It’s a big game (against Liverpool on Sunday). I don’t need to say anything (to my team-mates). If I need to say anything it’s a problem because this is a massive club.’