"Chelsea would be in a relegation battle" if not for one player, says Jamie Redknapp

Jamie Redknapp believes Chelsea would be fighting to stay out of the relegation zone if not for Cole Palmer this season.

The Blues secured Palmer's services last summer from Manchester City for a reported £42.5 million. The English attacker has proven to be a shining light in an otherwise dismal season for the west Londoners.

Palmer has been the club's most proficient player going forward this term, scoring 21 goals and providing 13 assists in 40 appearances across competitions for Chelsea. He recently scored a hat-trick in the Blues' dramatic 4-3 victory over Manchester United (4 April).

Redknapp's scathing assessment of the Blues came after their 2-2 draw against 20th-placed Sheffield United on Sunday (7 April), squandering the lead twice in the encounter.

Thiago Silva opened the scoring in the 11th minute before Jayden Bogle equalized for Sheffield later in the first half (32'). Noni Madueke then found the back of the net in the 66th minute and the Blues looked set to secure all three points until Oli McBurnie's stoppage-time equalizer.

Palmer set up Madueke's strike and was voted the Man of the Match by the fans. Redknapp could not help but point out how hopeless Chelsea would be without the 21-year-old this season.

Speaking after the game on Sky Sports, the former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder said:

"Chelsea would be in a relegation battle if it wasn’t for Cole Palmer."

The Blues will next face Everton at Stamford Bridge on 15 April.

Pundit names one position Chelsea must improve on after Sheffield draw

Pundit Scott Minto believes Chelsea have to sign a striker this summer, insisting Nicolas Jackson has room for improvement and isn't ready to be a regular starter for the Blues.

The Senegal international has managed 12 goals in 35 games for the Blues this season. However, he has come under criticism for some of his performances, with his finishing in particular coming into question.

Minto believes Jackson should remain an option on the bench, not the club's main man up front. Speaking after the Sheffield draw on talkSPORT, he said:

“If I was to say there was one position to nail down, it’s a reasonably obvious one and it would be where you [Dean Saunders] used to play, up front."

"Nicolas Jackson, he’s had a lot of detractors and I’ve defended him a lot, but he’s still raw and he’s one of those if you’ve got a club that’s wanting to chase at the very least top four, he should be coming off the bench to make a different option, not be the person you’re relying on."

"He’s not quite ready for that yet, so I would put all my eggs in the basket of a striker.”

The Blues are ninth in the Premier League table after 12 wins, eight draws, and 10 losses this season.