Cole Palmer has a unique Premier League record to add to his burgeoning collection: scorer of the most penalties in the history of the competition without a single miss.
He has now broken the record set by Yaya Toure — who managed 11 in a row in the Premier League for Manchester City, culminating with his spot kick against West Ham in February 2017.
There have been 12 attempts from the Chelsea midfielder, awarded by eight different referees, scored past 10 different goalkeepers. Only one of those even came close to making a save.
Below is a breakdown of Palmer’s penalties. In each case, the score listed is how the match stood at the time the spot kick was awarded, not its final result.
October 7, 2023: Burnley 1-1 Chelsea, Turf Moor
Wait time: One minute, 47 seconds
Referee: Stuart Attwell
It is a big surprise to see Palmer walking up to the penalty spot and settling the ball in the 50th minute. He is 21 years old and this is only his second Premier League start for new club Chelsea — but head coach Mauricio Pochettino has told his players that he trusts them to decide on the pitch who the taker is.
Raheem Sterling won this spot kick, baiting Vitinho into a rash challenge just inside the box, but Palmer’s insistence that it should be him — and the ready deference of more experienced players who have been his team-mates for just a few weeks — is the first sign of a special confidence.
The goalkeeper facing him is James Trafford, a former team-mate in Manchester City’s academy setup.
Trafford tries to catch Palmer’s eye with a smirk and a raise of the eyebrows as the decision is checked by VAR, to no avail. Palmer takes a deep breath and, with Trafford beating his gloves together loudly, runs up and sweeps the ball low to his old City colleague’s left. Trafford goes to his right, and Chelsea are on course for a 4-1 victory.
October 21, 2023: Chelsea 0-0 Arsenal, Stamford Bridge
Wait time: One minute, 15 seconds
Referee: Chris Kavanagh
A minute of match action passes between William Saliba inadvertently handballing from Mykhailo Mudryk’s header and Kavanagh being advised to consult the pitchside monitor.
When the decision is confirmed, Palmer immediately picks up the ball in driving rain. He has to wait for goalkeeper David Raya who, perhaps not entirely coincidentally, has travelled from his penalty area all the way to the visiting dugout, to slowly make his way back.
Raya knows which way he struck his previous penalty (above) two weeks earlier, but Palmer knows that he knows. The mind games end with the Spaniard diving the way Trafford did not, only for Palmer to calmly slide the ball into the opposite corner.
He runs alongside the Arsenal fans in the Shed End and slides on his knees while staring down the barrel of the TV camera behind the touchline.
November 6, 2023: Tottenham 1-0 Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Wait time: One minute, 55 seconds
Referee: Michael Oliver
A breathless London derby is halted for six minutes after Chelsea’s Moises Caicedo finds the bottom corner with a left-footed shot midway through the first half. His effort is ruled out for an offside but the VAR has also spotted something else: a studs-up tackle from Tottenham defender Cristian Romero on Enzo Fernandez in the box.
Oliver is eventually sent to the screen, and on his return, the penalty award and straight red card for Romero hit Tottenham like a double haymaker. Palmer, who has been waiting patiently with the ball cupped in both arms, sets it down on the spot.
Spurs fans behind Guglielmo Vicario’s goal frantically wave their arms and flags in an attempt to disrupt Palmer’s focus as the Italian bounces on his goal line.
Palmer returns to his favourite spot, sweeping the ball across his body to the goalkeeper’s left. Vicario guesses correctly and gets closer to saving a Palmer penalty than any opponent before or since, but his two hands can only push it onto the inside of his post and it creeps in from there.
As the goalkeeper curses his misfortune, Palmer jogs away with a smirk and raises his right index finger to shush the home crowd.
November 12, 2023: Chelsea 3-4 Manchester City, Stamford Bridge
Wait time: Two minutes, 38 seconds
Referee: Anthony Taylor
In the second minute of added time, substitute Armando Broja delays his shot just long enough to draw a desperate slide out of Ruben Dias in the City penalty area.
Taylor quickly points his arm through the driving rain at the penalty spot, and is surrounded by furious City players. Axel Disasi squares up to Kyle Walker and Nicolas Jackson has to be pushed back from wading into the fray.
Palmer watches it all, but he is not really watching and is not at all interested. As the bustling crowd clears, Erling Haaland tries to whisper a few words of discouragement, but gets no response from his former team-mate.
After what seems an eternity, Palmer takes a deep breath, runs up and for the first time in this series hits the ball a little higher, to the goalkeeper’s right. It is just as well, as Ederson leaps helplessly below it towards the bottom corner. Stamford Bridge erupts and Palmer looks to the Matthew Harding Stand with arms outstretched, as if to say: “What else did you expect?”
January 13, 2024: Chelsea 0-0 Fulham, Stamford Bridge
Wait time: One minute, 35 seconds
Referee: Anthony Taylor
Chelsea’s possession appears to be going nowhere in first-half added time until Palmer receives the ball on the right and drives infield. The Stamford Bridge crowd is imploring him to shoot, and Fulham are expecting that. They are not expecting the brilliantly disguised pass which isolates Sterling against Issa Diop. One quick jink and one trailing leg later, Palmer has his fifth penalty chance.
Goalkeeper Bernd Leno attempts some asymmetric mind games, talking to the referee in front of Palmer rather than directly to Chelsea’s talisman. He is slow to retreat to his line.
Palmer puts his hands on his hips and sucks in some air. He repositions the ball a couple of times. He looks unusually unsettled, but this is a fleeting illusion.
Leno dives to his right as the ball rolls low and hard to his left. The goalscorer jogs away and, for the first time on his penalty streak, breaks out the ‘Cold Palmer’ celebration.
March 30, 2024: Chelsea 0-0 Burnley, Stamford Bridge
Wait time: Four minutes, 16 seconds
Referee: Darren England
The drama begins in the 40th minute, when Mudryk races into the box and Lorenz Assignon brings him down. Ref England’s response is to give a penalty and show a second yellow card to the incredulous Frenchman.
Every aspect of the decision is meticulously assessed by the VAR team while Palmer looks up at the stadium screen, holding the ball. Assignon refuses to leave the pitch and Burnley manager Vincent Kompany rages on the touchline, prompting England to fish out his red card again.
The pause stretches beyond credulity; surely this would affect any penalty-taker’s focus?
When the time comes, the enormous Arijanet Muric extends his arms above his head to make himself even bigger on his goal line.
Palmer takes a couple of deep breaths before running up. Then, when he strikes the ball, something unexpected happens: rather than flying low to the goalkeeper’s left or right, it travels in a slow, low, impudent arc into the space Muric has just vacated with his dive to his right.
The celebration yields no surprises — nothing is worthier of the Cold Palmer than a Panenka.
April 4, 2024: Chelsea 1-0 Manchester United, Stamford Bridge
Wait time: One minute, 31 seconds
Referee: Jarred Gillett
There is no controversy or serious protest when Gillett points to the spot after Antony, tracking Marc Cucurella’s underlapping run, clips the Spaniard from behind.
Casemiro and Andre Onana exchange words in front of Palmer as the Chelsea attacker readies himself, offering no reaction. Onana then retreats behind his line, leaning back into his net before finally assuming his position.
Palmer takes a deep breath, runs up and returns to his old favourite: shooting hard and low to the goalkeeper’s left. Onana dutifully dives off to his right.
April 4, 2024: Chelsea 2-3 Manchester United, Stamford Bridge
Wait time: Three minutes, six seconds
Referee: Gillett
Palmer’s second penalty of a wild game presents itself in very different circumstances to his first. Chelsea have been carved open by Alejandro Garnacho and Bruno Fernandes and are in the realm of desperation when substitute Noni Madueke beats Diogo Dalot in second-half stoppage time, luring him into a clumsy tackle in the area.
Madueke tries to make a case to take the crucial kick himself, but Palmer pulls rank. Harry Maguire and Fernandes harass Gillett while VAR ratifies the penalty call.
Palmer bounces the ball, perhaps weighing his options. When the time comes, he runs up and hits exactly the same penalty again, with Onana diving right a second time.
No celebration follows. Palmer betrays no satisfaction, annoyed that Chelsea have found themselves in this situation. There is still time left in this game, and he has a dramatic winner to score.
April 15, 2024: Chelsea 4-0 Everton, Stamford Bridge
Wait time: Two minutes, 34 seconds
Referee: Paul Tierney
Madueke’s attempt to take that penalty against United proves to be a mere appetiser for the tragicomedy that unfolds 11 days later, one worthy of an article all on its own.
Palmer is still down after being kicked from behind by Abdoulaye Doucoure when Madueke grabs the ball from team-mate Malo Gusto, narrowly edging out an equally eager Jackson. The pair argue until elder statesman Thiago Silva comes over and attempts to inject some calm maturity into proceedings, to no avail.
Palmer, scorer of a dazzling 16-minute hat-trick in the first half, is in the Premier League Golden Boot race. He is also Chelsea’s rightful penalty taker, but Madueke will not listen to reason and has to be dispossessed by their captain, Conor Gallagher.
Jackson then makes one last attempt to take the ball, rushing in and causing Palmer to angrily shove him away. Palmer stands over the spot while Gallagher blocks off both the Senegal striker and Madueke, who is still lurking. Pochettino stands in his technical area with arms folded, his face a picture of parental disgust.
Palmer puts the ball down and Jordan Pickford tries to take issue with his placement, but Tierney waves away his protests. When he blows his whistle, the drama ends: Palmer hits the ball low to Pickford’s left, the goalkeeper dives right.
After he blows a kiss and points into the crowd, Palmer is congratulated by his team-mates — yes, including Madueke and a seemingly reluctant Jackson.
September 28, 2024: Chelsea 1-1 Brighton, Stamford Bridge
Wait time: One minute, 32 seconds
Referee: Peter Bankes
There is no debate about who takes Chelsea’s first penalty under new coach Enzo Maresca. Palmer gathers the ball after Carlos Baleba brings down Jadon Sancho, and the only delay is Brighton captain Lewis Dunk earning a yellow card for remonstrating too forcefully with referee Bankes.
Goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen’s words manage to get Palmer’s attention, but the Chelsea man simply smirks and nods for him to get back on his line.
The Dutchman dives to his left, Palmer’s favourite spot, but the shot this time whistles into the opposite corner. Palmer jogs over to the ball as it bounces out onto the pitch and lingers just long enough to get a shove in the back from Verbruggen, which he greets with a grin.
December 8, 2024: Tottenham 2-1 Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Wait time: One minute, 47 seconds
Referee: Anthony Taylor
A hushed silence falls over the home crowd the moment Yves Bissouma brings down Caicedo with a reckless slide in the Spurs box. They know what’s coming.
Palmer holds the ball under his left arm, bouncing it once as Fraser Forster swigs from a water bottle and delays getting back to his line. He then tightens the laces on his left boot.
His kick is once again to the goalkeeper’s right, but slightly elevated just in case Forster guesses the right way. He does not, and Palmer tells the Tottenham fans to calm down as he wheels away, before giving them the Cold Palmer.
December 8, 2024: Tottenham 2-3 Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Wait time: One minute, nine seconds
Referee: Taylor
Palmer earns this one himself, tempting Pape Sarr into a rash challenge in the 84th minute. The penalty decision is clear and uncontroversial.
As he gathers the ball, Palmer is surely aware of Toure’s penalty record. He is also a natural showman with a keen instinct for creating iconic moments on the pitch. How best to punctuate Chelsea’s stirring fightback and ensure this particular kick will be remembered?
Forster finds out the answer halfway through his dive to his right, far too late to do anything about it: another Panenka, chipped a little higher than the one which embarrassed Burnley’s Muric eight months earlier, as if Palmer went with his pitching wedge this time rather than his nine iron.
Palmer pushes both palms towards the turf in a calm-down gesture, before dusting off the Cold Palmer and then cupping his ears to the rapidly emptying stands.
(Top photo: Ben Stansall/AFP via Getty Images)
