'Genius' Palmer 'made the difference' against Real Betis

It was fitting that Chelsea won their first trophy nether nan ownership of Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital done nan magic of their astir important signing - Cole Palmer.

Among nan £1.7bn worthy of talent brought in, albeit pinch sizeable subordinate income balancing nan books, they person unearthed respective gems.

None, however, person been arsenic important arsenic Palmer, a £37.5m signing from Manchester City.

After a dismal first half successful Wednesday's Conference League last against Real Betis, during which 33-year-old midfield playmaker Isco dazzled for nan opposition, Palmer came to nan fore.

He outshone moreover nan Spain world - 10 years his elder - to spark a comeback and a 4-1 win.

"Cole Palmer is an absolute genius," erstwhile Chelsea winger Joe Cole said connected TNT Sports. "We don't nutrient these players. They don't autumn disconnected trees.

"He took nan crippled by nan scruff of nan cervix and location are not galore players successful world shot that tin do what he does."

Trailing to Abde Ezzalzouli's early goal, nan 2nd half became nan Palmer show.

He danced astir Ezzalzouli earlier his inswinging transverse was met by Enzo Fernandez to make it 1-1, earlier spinning Jesus Rodriguez to transverse for Nicolas Jackson to thorax location nan 2nd goal.

"Cole Palmer has delivered and that's nan difference," erstwhile Blues goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer said connected BBC Radio 5 Live. "Palmer is simply a young player, but has an unthinkable magnitude of maturity. He led this broadside and dictated that 2nd half."

West Ham guardant Michail Antonio added connected TNT Sports: "The crippled was mislaid until Cole Palmer decided to move up. He sewage connected nan ball, kept asking for it, demanding it.

"Two unbelievable balls, 2 unbelievable goals. What a player."

After a stellar first play astatine Stamford Bridge, during which he scored 22 Premier League goals, Palmer has endured a trickier 2nd campaign.

He has scored conscionable erstwhile since 14 January, a 90th-minute punishment successful nan 3-1 triumph complete Liverpool astatine nan commencement of May.

But he reminded everyone of his earthy expertise against Real Betis. And his 18-game extremity drought will use him successful nan agelong run, according to caput coach Enzo Maresca.

"The bad moment, nan bad tally he had during this play is going to make him a amended player, nary doubt," Maresca said.

"We each cognize he's a apical player. We request to thief him to beryllium successful nan correct position, nan correct moment.

"He is simply a value player. In nan past third, he tin determine a crippled pinch a extremity aliases assist."

No-one needed this infinitesimal much than Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson.

Before nan match, moreover Maresca said Jackson owed a "debt" to his team-mates aft getting sent disconnected successful nan 2-0 conclusion astatine Newcastle connected 11 May, a reddish paper that could good person costs Chelsea qualification for nan Champions League.

After nan match, Maresca said "this is nan Nico that nan squad needs".

He is among those who person struggled to person nan Stamford Bridge fanbase - and nan nine are looking to motion a striker, pinch Ipswich Town's Liam Delap among their targets.

However, successful that regard, nan Senegal world is conscionable for illustration nan caput coach and nan owners, who person each banked in installments by winning a trophy.

For Maresca, this was his chance to show nan nine could build a winning mentality aft a play during which he has faced disapproval for his style of shot and a tally of mediocre results complete nan winter.

For nan US consortium, their ownership was tarnished by 1,201 days without silverware but nan infinitesimal skipper Reece James lifted nan Conference League trophy, nan first successful his captaincy, they earned valuable breathing room.

Boehly was nan first to spell and observe pinch nan team, followed reluctantly by influential Clearlake Capital duo Behdad Eghbali and Jose Feliciano.

Boehly and Clearlake person not ever seen eye-to-eye this play but this is simply a play of comparative stableness aft nan nine decided they would instrumentality pinch Maresca sloppy of nan consequence of their past 2 matches of nan season.

Chelsea hit Nottingham Forest to suffice for nan Champions League and won against Betis to adhd silverware.

But Chelsea didn't waste retired their allocation successful Poland, for what was nan last of European nine football's third-tier competition, and fans will quickly move connected if it is not backed up pinch some advancement and further occurrence adjacent season.

Maresca told TNT aft nan match: "I consciousness bully - but besides nan fans, they merit that. They person been waiting a fewer years for that truthful they merit it.

"The nine person invested a batch of money successful nan past two, 3 years truthful they are besides waiting for results. Hopefully this tin beryllium a starting point. From tonight, from this season, building thing important."

Substitute Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall said: "There's a batch much to travel from me. Getting a sensation of silverware makes you much hungry."