£45m attacker admits he wants to prove Pep Guardiola wrong in ‘every game’ he plays

£45m attacker admits he wants to prove Pep Guardiola wrong in ‘every game’ he plays

Pep Guardiola may have created a monster who is about to come back and haunt Manchester City – again.

 

 

Despite being the club’s most lauded academy graduate since Phil Foden, City decided to sell Cole Palmer to Chelsea in the summer transfer window.

 

A deal which could rise up to £45m was deemed too good to turn down for a player who had only played 1,482 minutes for Guardiola’s side.

 

Palmer has already surpassed that at Stamford Bridge and has been Chelsea’s best player by some distance.

 

 

The 21-year-old has already cost City once this season by grabbing a late equaliser in the 4-4 daw and will have the chance to do so again on Saturday.

 

Cole Palmer.

Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images

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Cole Palmer aiming to prove Pep Guardiola wrong

City will welcome Chelsea to the Etihad Stadium as they look to stretch their winning streak to 12 matches.

 

Speaking with the Daily Mirror ahead of his first return to his old stomping ground, Palmer was asked if he’s eager to show Guardiola what he’s missing.

 

Palmer said: “Yes, I just try to do that every game, so we’ll see.

 

 

“I don’t know [if it will be another classic like the 4-4 draw] but it will be a tough game, won’t it?

 

“Yes, I am looking forward to going back to the Etihad – it will be strange and weird but I am looking forward to it and the team is looking forward to it.”

 

Should Man City regret selling Cole Palmer?

It’s hard to find much room to criticize City for any sale or release they’ve made in recent years.

 

 

The timing was right to let the likes of Vincent Kompany, David Silva, Fernandinho and Sergio Aguero go while improvements were made on Leroy Sane, Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus.

 

But there was a couple of eye-brow raising decisions last summer. Failing to sign Ilkay Gundogan down to a new deal and then the sale of Palmer.

 

Such a huge fee for a youngster who has hardly played is difficult to turn down. Especially when City don’t stand in the way of players who want to go.

 

Yet, perhaps Palmer would have played a much more significant role this season as Riyad Mahrez’s replacement.

 

He’s clearly good enough to do so and City’s injury issues – with Bernardo Silva and Jack Grealish now picking up knocks – would have opened spaces in the side.

 

City are hardly struggling without Palmer but there is a sense he was one player they let slip through their fingers.

 

Palmer is certainly wanting to prove that point on Saturday and going forward.