Chelsea’s £40 million striker displayed a lack of finesse in front of the goal during the League Cup semi-final first leg against Middlesbrough. Despite being in good form, Cole Palmer failed to capitalize on his opportunities and experienced a particularly unfortunate moment during the match.

In the 45+3 minute of the first half, a shot from Enzo Fernández outside the penalty area presented a perfect scoring opportunity right in front of Middlesbrough’s goal. The ball rebounded towards Cole Palmer, who was just a few meters away from the open goal. However, in a surprising turn of events, the young striker mishandled the ball and sent it soaring into the sky. Even coach Mauricio Pochettino, watching from the sidelines, was perplexed by his player’s unexpected blunder. This was a stark contrast to Palmer’s performance in a previous match against Luton Town on December 30, where he showcased his ability to launch powerful and accurate shots.

Throughout the game, Cole Palmer had at least two other promising chances to score, but he failed to convert them into goals. This disappointing performance drew criticism from fans, especially considering Palmer’s recent statement expressing his desire to remain at Manchester City. The 21-year-old striker, who has scored 8 goals in the Premier League this season, received a score of 4 from Goal magazine, reflecting his underwhelming display. Chelsea ultimately suffered a 0-1 defeat against Middlesbrough.

Despite dominating possession with 72% and taking 17 shots, Chelsea struggled to find the target, with only 5 shots hitting their mark. Their expected goals ratio (xG) stood at an impressive 2.46. In contrast, Middlesbrough had an xG of 0.80, managing 5 shots in total, of which 2 were on target.

These statistics highlight Chelsea’s overall superiority in the match, particularly in terms of ball control and goal-scoring opportunities. However, the team’s strikers, most notably Cole Palmer, were uncharacteristically clumsy in front of the opposition’s goal, leading to an embarrassing defeat against the lower-ranked team.