Enzo Maresca lauded Cole Palmer as a player supporters “pay to see” as he likened Chelsea’s match winner against Newcastle to former Stamford Bridge favourite Gianfranco Zola.
The 58-year-old, whose glittering seven-year spell at the club ended in 2003, was in attendance to see his heir in the number 10 position turn in a scintillating display, capped when he drove home the goal in the second half that handed the hosts a deserved 2-1 win to shore up their top-four credentials.
It took Palmer’s tally to 19 in his last 15 home league appearances, with the 22-year-old claiming in a post-match TV interview that he was only familiar with Zola via the FIFA gaming series.
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“I don’t think Cole knows Gianfranco,” said Maresca, alluding to the age at which Palmer has already become Chelsea’s most important player. “They’re quite similar in terms of quality and seeing things the rest don’t see.
“The best thing from Cole is that he never changes. I had him at (Manchester) City (in the under-23 team) and he’s exactly the same way.
“People come to the stadium to see a player like him. They pay to see that kind of player.”
Chelsea had only won once at home in the league this season and more points looked like slipping away when Alexander Isak’s tap-in cancelled out the lead given to them by Nicolas Jackson, who had swept his team in front in the first half from Pedro Neto’s cross.
Those concerns were alighted by Palmer’s brilliant winner. Levi Colwill’s biting challenge won possession to begin the move inside Chelsea’s half, Romeo Lavia was equally bullish to poke the ball up to Palmer, and as Newcastle backed off Palmer lashed the ball inside Nick Pope’s near post.
Maresca, who experimented with captain Reece James at left-back in what was his first home appearance in almost a year, was happy with the control his team shows after going in front.
A lapse from James, who allowed Isak to get away from him to score from Lewis Hall’s cross, had been the team’s only blip, and the head coach repeated his desire to see more leadership from his captain.
“I really like Reece but I repeat, from the captains I expect more, from Reece and all the guys who are sometimes captain,” he said. “You are captain for a reason and you have to show every day.
“There are games, especially today, where if you do like a basketball game they would have destroyed us.
“Newcastle are strong, they are good in transition. I was telling the players calm because it was the kind of game that before you attack you have to make 15-25 passes.”
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe, who has now seen his team go five Premier League games without a win, reflected on the need for supporters to back his players during a difficult spell.
“It’s about sticking together and the supporters are the most important part for any club in that,” he said.
“It was a really good psychological performance, we gave everything and were resilient. Hopefully our supports can see that and will continue to back us.
“It’s the reality and we have to accept it. I think a couple of wins changes the picture very quickly.”
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