<figure id="attachment_3234516" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3234516" style="width: 1600px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-3234516" src="https://media.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/a5bb704f-cole-palmer-14122025.webp" alt="" width="1600" height="1000" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-3234516" class="wp-caption-text">Cole Palmer (centre) celebrates with his teammates after scoring the first goal during the match against Everton FC. (EPA Images pic)</figcaption></figure>
LONDON: Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca insisted his side were a better team for having Cole Palmer back after the forward scored on his first Stamford Bridge start in almost four months as the Blues beat Everton 2-0 to move back into the Premier League&#8217;s top four.
&#8220;We said many times with Cole (Palmer) we are a better team,&#8221; Maresca told the BBC.
&#8220;Unfortunately he was out for many games for us, but now he&#8217;s back and for sure he will help us.&#8221;
The injury-plagued attacking midfielder missed Chelsea&#8217;s loss away to Atalanta in the Champions League on Tuesday as part of his recovery from a two-month spell on the sidelines.
Palmer was initially troubled by a groin problem and then fractured his toe after stubbing it on a door at home.
The 23-year-old made his first start for the Blues since September in last weekend&#8217;s goalless draw at Bournemouth.
The England international broke the deadlock against Everton in the 21st minute at Stamford Bridge.
Malo Gusto played in Palmer with a fine pass and he beat fellow England international Jordan Pickford at the goalkeeper&#8217;s near post.
Everton dominated possession, with Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez saving well from Jack Grealish.
All of Everton&#8217;s pressure failed to yield an equaliser and Chelsea, against the run of play, doubled their lead in first-half stoppage time when a counter-attack ended with Gusto turning in a cut-back from Pedro Neto.
Everton, eighth in the table despite this loss, had a chance to make it 2-1 when Carlos Alcaraz curled in a cross to the back post only for the unmarked Grealish to divert the ball well wide.
Chelsea almost added a third when Reece James&#8217;s quick free kick was only just tipped over the bar by Pickford.
Everton nearly gave themselves a lifeline when Iliman Ndiaye burst into the box, only for his shot to bounce off the inside of the post.
&#8220;The game is never finished,&#8221; said Maresca. &#8220;We had many chances, we missed. But overall I&#8217;m happy with the clean sheet and the performance.&#8221;

MatchPoint Times

Maresca hails Palmer as Chelsea return to winning ways against Everton

Chelsea beat Everton 2-0 to return to the Premier League top four, with Cole Palmer scoring on his first home start in four months.

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