What Christopher Nkunku did to Cole Palmer says it all as one Chelsea star fires pointed message

It is fitting that in the same week that UEFA Conference League football returns, Chelsea put in a proper Thursday night performance. Their opponents, Championship-bound Southampton, would fit right into the third tier of European competition as a calamity waiting to happen against better opponents.

Christopher Nkunku scored under the lights, which is perhaps the most Conference League thing about this 4-0 win, whilst there was a healthy sprinkling of youth action as well, albeit via the bench this time.

The result puts Chelsea back up to fourth after a set of games on Tuesday which saw everyone 10th to sixth in action. Bournemouth and Brighton facing each other helped Enzo Maresca’s top four chasing cause.

The evening started in protest against the ownership but ended with a slight trace of optimism ahead of matches against Copenhagen (twice) and Leicester City. Here, football.london goes through some of the moments which might have bypassed you from the game.

Nkunku response

Not for the first time in recent weeks, Nkunku was left to glare at Cole Palmer. The pair have been like divorced parents of late, barely able to look at each other on the field as a playing relationship full of promise on paper falls well short.

Palmer, in search of a goal to end his own personal drought, had been left with Nkunku at Villa Park on Saturday. His second-half pass, specifically, after wriggling free of pressure on the edge of the box, left tension in the air between them.

That wasn’t eased when he chose to shoot instead of passing to Nkunku once threaded through on goal by Enzo Fernandez. It is a finish he has executed many times in the last 18 months but his shot was saved by Aaron Ramsdale, leaving Nkunku stood to his left with an empty net.

Arms out wide, Nkunku asked why he hadn’t been passed to and it continued a disappointing story for the attacking duo. Just moments later things were much better and Nkunku was celebrating after heading in at the far post following Tosin Adarabioyo’s flick on from a Fernandez corner.

Far from being his usual understated self, Nkunku let out a roar and jumped into the air. He followed it up by inflating his balloon and smiling as much as anyone has seen him for quite some time.

It felt like a relieved response to not only his recent form but also Palmer’s snub the minute before. Thankfully for Chelsea, there was output to go with the pent-up anger.

Neto message

Much like Nkunku, it is the celebration which is being focused on here. After scoring in his second league game at Stamford Bridge in a row, Pedro Neto let out a similarly emphatic burst of energy.

It was his introduction against West Ham nearly three weeks ago that changed the game and in being deployed up front due to Nicolas Jackson’s absence, the effect has continued. Neto is likely to keep his position centrally until after the international break and has given Chelsea another option when Maresca was desperate for change.

Instead of joining his teammates in a moment of togetherness, Neto sprinted off with his hand in the air, making the ‘talking’ gesture. Snapping his fingers against his thumb in the shape of a mouth, it is the same action that followed his strike against West Ham.

Neto has also put his finger to his lips previously. After coming under fire for a tough start to life in west London, Neto is starting to produce performances to justify his price tag. More will be needed to make the talk into regularly positive analysis over his game.

Palmer frustration

With his fellow attackers getting in on the act against the league’s worst side, Palmer was left in disbelief that he couldn’t find a way onto the scoresheet. It has been a dry run for the 22-year-old of late and his body language has been under the microscope as well as his more tangible actions.

He wears the frustration of hard moments visibly, though, and was once again left with his head leant back and annoyance etched on his face. In the 52nd minute after his fifth shot of the evening – more than any other at that stage – Palmer even watched back the replay of his missed shot from the edge of the box.

Before blazing over from a central area just outside the ‘D’, Palmer had made a dangerous run between Southampton’s back-tracking defenders. Jadon Sancho carried the ball forward and had the chance to slip him in but opted to wait, sliding possession to Neto on the overlap.

Palmer skipped up in a jump of irritation after not being fed through. It was indicative of a player determined to end his streak. Neto went on to dink a cross to the back post before Sancho picked up the pieces and did give Palmer the ball shortly after.

In his desperation to create, Palmer got it stuck under his feet and couldn’t work the power on another shot. 20 minutes on and Tyrique George’s first-time drive from the right left Palmer again leaping up after he wasn’t the target of a low cross.

George, much like Palmer, seems to want it too much, if anything. After the few weeks that Chelsea have had, there are worse problems for Maresca.

Palmer was notably the first player to celebrate with Marc Cucurella after he added the fourth. On a night without personal reward, it was a nice touch.