“Hat Trick” is a column by Marco Haynes about the 2024-25 English Premier League in which he breaks down the week’s four most consequential talking points.
Superstar Cole Palmer fires four goals past Brighton
If we voted to anoint the current best player in the Premier League last season, the result might’ve seemed obvious: Erling Haaland. His clinical goal-scoring form helped City capture the 2023-24 title and this season outscore most Premier League clubs.
But the debate has a new candidate. Enter: Cole Palmer.
The Blues playmaker is already breaking records this season and even keeping pace with the Norwegian striker for the top goalscorer spot. This past weekend, he became the first player in Premier League history to score four goals before half-time in Chelsea’s match against Brighton & Hove Albion.
The English attacking midfielder has racked up six goals from six games. The Blues sensation is only four behind Haaland in the race for the Golden Boot. He also contributed four assists this season.
Palmer tore apart the reliant Seagulls’ defense, which had only conceded four goals in six games before Saturday. Centerbacks Lewis Dunk and Adam Webster struggled to match the speed of the Chelsea attack, and the quality playmaking and finishing Palmer brought to the game, which won him PFA Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year in the Premier League last season.
Chelsea defeated Brighton 4-2, putting them in fourth place, only two points behind Liverpool in first.
In contrast to last year’s chaos, the Blues seemed to have turned their form around early this season and have forced their way into the title race. Palmer is a pivotal contributor to that positive form.
Chelsea return to action against Nottingham Forest at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Captain Bruno Fernandes wins case to overturn red card
A day many Manchester United fans will want to forget went from bad to worse in 45 minutes.
Down 2-0 against Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford, United’s captain Fernandes was sent off for the first time in his Man United career after lunging in with a dangerous tackle on midfielder James Maddison minutes before half-time.
However, on Tuesday, Man United won its appeal against Fernandes’ sending-off. Referee Chris Kavanagh showed the player a straight red card and VAR supported the decision at the stadium. On replay, Fernandes appeared to slip after tackling Maddison with his foot, which Kavanagh deemed to be in a dangerous position. The decision to appeal seemed saved by the fact Fernandes slipped and caused less contact, but it doesn’t change the fact it was still a wild challenge.
The Portuguese international will now be available for the upcoming three games against Aston Villa, Brentford and West Ham United.
The home side ended up losing 3-0 against Tottenham and dropped to 12th in the league table, sending them closer to the relegation zone rather than a European qualification place.
Fernandes’ season has been underwhelming so far, given the expectations on him to be the creative spark and captain of the squad. He’s been unable to find the back of the net and only provided one assist in six matches. Fans will expect him to come back from his non-suspension with urgency and fight, which the whole squad had lacked against Tottenham.
Red Devils manager Erik ten Hag is under pressure and Fernandes hasn’t helped take the pressure off, with fans clamoring for ten Hag to get axed. The club has collected its joint-fewest points ever in the Premier League through six games — the same number they accumulated in the 2013-14 and 2020-21 seasons.
Manchester United will travel to Villa Park to play Aston Villa on Sunday.
Bryan Mbeumo is the new Ivan Toney
Star striker and England international Ivan Toney secured a $53 million transfer to Saudi Arabian club Al Ahli over the summer, sparking questions about who could replace the pivotal Brentford forward. The answer? Bryan Mbeumo.
The Cameroon international scored his fifth goal this season with an acrobatic finish against West Ham United in a 1-1 draw at the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday. He sits third for most goals scored in the Premier League so far this season.
With forward Yoane Wissa injured and newly recruited attacking midfielder Fabio Carvalho still adjusting to life at Brentford, Mbeumo has been responsible for trying to produce the same numbers as his ex-teammate Toney.
Last season, Mbeumo scored a solid nine goals and set up six for his teammates. This year, he’s already scored more than half last year’s tally and seems like the spark Brentford needs to finish mid-table and avoid the drop.The club currently sit in 12th position in the league table.
If his season produces high goal scoring numbers, other clubs will surely ask about his price tag. He’s already a consistent starter at the Bees and settled into the physicality and speed of the Premier League, so maybe a step up is in his future.
Brentford returns to the Gtech against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.
Dwight McNeil brace secures Everton’s first victory in the league
Everton manager Sean Dyche can now feel relief from the pressure thanks to Dwight McNeil’s second-half performance in front of goal, which led the Toffees to their first win of the season on Saturday.
McNeil always seems to come up when Everton needed him most, and against Crystal Palace this weekend he scored a sensational long-range shot that curled into the top left corner and then struck the back of the net again from close range to complete the comeback. It was Dyche’s first comeback victory in his stint coaching Everton.
The club has dangerously neared relegation in recent seasons and Dyche will be hard-pressed to keep Everton up again this season. But spirits were surely lifted after a 2-1 win against Palace that moved the club out of the relegation zone and into 16th position.
And off the pitch, this past week brought news that looks to have resurrected a club the fans felt was going nowhere.
On Monday, a new era began for Everton, as new owners Blue Heaven Holdings and The Friedkin Group bought out the majority stake in the Merseyside club. Plus, versatile center-back Jarrad Branthwaithe returned to the squad after missing the start of the season due to a groin issue.
A win in the first game for the new ownership group is a positive sign of things to come for the blue side of Liverpool. Everton return to Goodison Park to face Newcastle United on Saturday.
“Hat Trick” runs every Wednesday.