Former Premier League striker Troy Deeney has weighed in on whether Cole Palmer is better than Dele Alli in his prime. Unfortunately for Palmer, his red card against Tottenham last weekend is still fresh in people’s minds, but that moment of madness does not reflect his incredible Chelsea career to date.

The attacking midfielder was unfortunate not to win the Premier League Player of the Season award in his debut campaign at Stamford Bridge under Mauricio Pochettino. He has not quite reached those heights since, but he remains a world-class player who has produced huge moments for both club and country.

Meanwhile, Dele is currently a free agent, given his career has gone into a downward spiral since he left Spurs a few seasons ago. His lack of longevity means he will never be considered a Premier League great, but his prime at Tottenham was truly special.

Troy Deeney has named a combined XI featuring Chelsea’s current squad under Xabi Alonso and Pochettino’s 2017/18 Spurs team, which beat the Blues at Stamford Bridge. English playmakers Palmer and Dele were involved in one of the closest comparisons.

Troy Deeney answers Cole Palmer vs Dele Alli question

Neither Cole Palmer nor Dele Alli has won a Premier League title as a key player (Palmer won one with Manchester City in 2022/23 but started just two games), and neither has had a long enough career to be considered a legend. This debate comes down to who was better at their peak, and choosing between two superstars is tough.

Troy Deeney’s immediate reaction suggested he was unsure which player to pick in his Chelsea-Tottenham combined XI before eventually settling on Dele. The midfielder contributed nine goals and 10 assists in the 2017/18 Premier League season and scored twice in Spurs’ famous 3-1 win at Stamford Bridge.

“Give me that Dele Alli over this current Cole Palmer,” Deeney said in a TikTok video. “That Dele Alli was very good. Did he not win PFA Young Player of the Year? Everything in football is, ‘What have you done for me lately?’ It’s always that way. I like Dele Alli. He signed a shirt for my son many years ago. He probably won’t remember.”

Even Chelsea fans would probably concede that prime Dele was better than Palmer has been this season and last, but Palmer’s first two seasons in West London were extraordinary. His 22 goals and 11 assists in the 2023/24 campaign arguably make it one of the most underrated seasons in Premier League history, as it deserves recognition among the greatest ever.

Dele Alli vs Cole Palmer: Best Premier League season compared

Meanwhile, Deeney had several other interesting choices to make in his combined XI. He was torn between Jan Vertonghen and Levi Colwill before picking the Spurs man, and he also took a while to choose Christian Eriksen over Pedro Neto.

Here is Troy Deeney’s Chelsea-Tottenham combined XI: Hugo Lloris; Kieran Trippier, Maxence Lacroix, Jan Vertonghen, Jorrel Hato; Moussa Dembele, Moises Caicedo; Morgan Rogers, Dele Alli, Christian Eriksen; Heung-Min Son.