The match against Everton turned out to be a night of glory for Cole Palmer as he secured a perfect hat-trick within a remarkable 16-minute spell. Adding to his impressive performance, Palmer later converted a penalty to score his fourth goal of the match as Chelsea eventually ran out 6-0 winners. However, the spotlight shifted momentarily from Palmer’s heroics to a heated dispute between him, Jackson and Madueke over the penalty-taking duties.

The incident unfolded as both Madueke and Jackson rushed to claim the ball from Malo Gusto, sparking a tense 30-second exchange between the two players. Thiago Silva intervened, managing to defuse the situation momentarily as Jackson walked away. However, the conflict escalated when Madueke remained adamant he was going to take the penalty, before captain Conor Gallagher urged the forward to hand over the ball to Palmer. Despite Gallagher’s instructions, Madueke refused, prompting Gallagher to take matters into his own hands by forcibly retrieving the ball and handing it to Palmer.

Speaking to reporters after the match, Pochettino said: “I can’t accept this kind of behaviour. I told them it’s the last time I want to see this kind of behaviour. It is impossible to have this type of behaviour after this performance. If we want to be a great team, we need to change and think in a collective way. They’re all involved in this situation. Next time they’re all out. This is not a joke.”

Pochettino reiterated that Palmer is the designated penalty taker for the team and stressed the need for clarity and adherence to established roles within the squad.

“The penalty taker is Palmer. It’s Palmer who needs to decide if he wants to give the ball to a team-mate. It’s important to fix. They realise now,” the Argentine said.

“It’s a shame. It’s a process for a young team who needs to learn a lot. I want to apologise to the fans. We need to be focused on the collective. It’s like we are in a school, and our job is to show them they were wrong so they can learn. There will be no punishment, but this can’t happen again. If Palmer is on the pitch, he is the penalty taker.”

With a flawless record of converting all nine penalties he has taken in the Premier League, Palmer’s proficiency from the spot is unquestionable. This remarkable feat puts him on the coattails of legendary former Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure, who boasts a 100 percent conversion rate from 11 penalties in the competition’s history.

Palmer’s exceptional performance against Everton marked his second consecutive home hat-trick, with the earlier one coming against Manchester United, further solidifying his status as a rising star in English football. He will look to continue with his inspired form against Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-finals next Saturday to keep Chelsea’s silverware hopes alive.