"I think it’s mad to say that" - Ex-Chelsea star hits out at Cole Palmer critics with massive prediction 

Football pundit Shaun Wright-Phillips has come out in support of Cole Palmer amid claims from former midfielder John Obi Mikel that the Chelsea star was often going missing in matches. He believes that the Englishman is doing his best and just needs help up front.

Speaking to Prime Casino, Wright-Phillips said that Palmer's goal drought in 2025 was normal, and pointed out that the Englishman was still creating chances. He went on to claim that the addition of Liam Delap will help the Chelsea winger get back to his best and said:

"I think it's mad to say that Cole Palmer trailed off last season. I just don't see it. I think people say it because he wasn't scoring, but he was still creating the same amount of chances as when he was finding the back of the net himself. I don't think he tailed off, I think it's natural that players' form will ebb and flow. You have those patches where everything goes in, just like there are spells where nothing will go in.

"Don't forget, he can do all the work just as he always did in terms of assists, but even then he's reliant on his strikers putting the ball in the back of the net. I think he's still dangerous, because he can damage you in the final third, and in his own third he has that passing range to set up a goal from deep. The way he's playing, he's always a threat. I think Cole Palmer's reputation is going to blossom again when he's linking up with Liam Delap."

"I think Liam's going to be putting away more chances than Nicolas Jackson. Liam's going to improve the team overall. He can hold the ball up, he's like a wall up front, able to bring others into play. Not only does he take chances, but he creates them for himself, and he can do everything Jackson can do, with runs in behind. Cole's going to love that, he knows that when he sends the ball into the box, Liam will be there," he concluded.

Cole Palmer has scored just three goals in 2025 but played a key role in the UEFA Conference League final. He assisted two goals that helped the Blues come back from 1-0 down to win 4-1 against Real Betis.

What did John Obi Mikel say about Chelsea star Cole Palmer?

Former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel was not happy with Cole Palmer after Chelsea's 3-1 loss to Flamengo at the FIFA Club World Cup. He criticized the Englishman, claiming he was disappearing in matches.

Mikel went on to state that Palmer needs to find ways to get involved in the game. He believes that the 23-year-old is too passive when marked out of the game and does not do enough to break free.

Chelsea face ES Tunia in their final FIFA Club World group game on Tuesday, June 24. The winner will face Bayern Munich in the knockout stage, while the other team heads home.