Pochettino FUMES at Chelsea duo for trying to take penalty off Cole Palmer

Cole Palmer destroyed Everton with a four-goal haul that reignited Chelsea’s push for a European place, but his manager Mauricio Pochettino said this sensational victory was marred by the sight of his players fighting over who got to take a penalty kick.

Everton endured a highly embarrassing evening as Palmer netted a perfect hat-trick in the space of 16 minutes. He later added his fourth from a spot-kick, though only after a remarkable row ignited between Nicolas Jackson and Noni Madueke.

Palmer eventually pulled rank to leave himself tied with Manchester City’s Erling Haaland on 20 goals at the top of the Premier League’s scoring charts, with Jackson and academy starlet Alfie Gilchrist also getting on the scoresheet.

Manager Mauricio Pochettino wanted to start his post-match press conference by discussing that penalty saga rather than the victory itself, even warning Jackson and Madueke that they face being axed if they dare try this again.

‘First of all, I want to tell you to make clear that they know, the players know, the staff know, the club know that the taker on penalties is Cole Palmer,’ Pochettino said, having previously resisted publicly naming a designated taker. It is a shame.

‘I am so, so upset about this situation. We were talking in the dressing room about the image that we send because this is Monday night football and in every single country they were watching the game. We cannot send this type of image. It is a shame and I want to apologise to football people and our fans because that is unacceptable.’

Palmer added: ‘Other players wanted to take it, which was understandable. I am the penalty taker and wanted to take it. We're just trying to show everyone that we want to take responsibility. Maybe it was