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These days, there is not really a fixed top six in the Premier League, partly because of teams like Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur.
Chelsea and Tottenham are seen as part of English football’s “big six” alongside Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool and Manchester United. However, the former finished 10th in the table last season, while the latter nearly got relegated.
Even so, when these teams play each other, their games are still billed as encounters between the Premier League’s biggest clubs. With that in mind, how has Cole Palmer fared in them as a Chelsea player?
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Well, against Tottenham over the weekend, the attacking midfielder had a night to forget. He failed to score or provide an assist and was, of course, sent off. But what do his overall numbers look like against Spurs and the rest of the so-called big six?
His Tottenham record is pretty good, even if all of his goals have come from the penalty spot. In six games, Palmer has scored three times and also set up a teammate on two occasions.
Because of a hat-trick, Palmer’s record against United also looks impressive on paper. Across six matches, he has scored four goals. The reality is, though, outside of that game, the 24-year-old has not done much.
As a matter of fact, for such an elite player, Palmer’s overall record against the big six is not good enough and you can see that below:
| Cole Palmer’s record vs big six | Premier League games | Goals | Assists |
| Arsenal | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Liverpool | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Manchester City | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| Manchester United | 6 | 4 | 0 |
| Tottenham | 6 | 3 | 2 |
| Total | 26 | 10 | 2 |
In all of his other games against Arsenal, City and Liverpool, Palmer has only scored three goals, which were all penalties. He has not provided an assist against any of the big six either bar Tottenham.
Palmer will not be suspended for Chelsea versus United this Saturday, so that will provide him with an opportunity to improve his big-game record. The England international has to.
For a player of his quality, some of his numbers from these fixtures are simply abysmal. Neither Palmer nor Chelsea can afford a repeat of what happened over the weekend.
Statistically, it was Palmer’s worst performance in his senior career. It is time for him to raise his level, not just against the big six but in general.