GARY NEVILLE has lashed out at Cole Palmer for talking with Pep Guardiola after Chelsea’s loss at Manchester City.
The Blues collapsed to a 3-1 loss at the Etihad despite taking an early lead through Noni Madueke.
Sky SportsSky pundit Gary Neville has hit out at Cole Palmer following Chelsea’s loss to Man City[/caption]
RexPalmer was seen smiling and talking at length with his former boss Pep Guardiola after the defeat[/caption]
GettyThe 22-year-old was returning to the Etihad for just the second time[/caption]
"Cole, you're being played mate."
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 25, 2025
Gary Neville says Chelsea fans would not have wanted to see Cole Palmer smiling and talking to Pep Guardiola after their defeat to Man City 🎙️ pic.twitter.com/Rl8k0CTMaf
Palmer joined Chelsea from City in September 2023 in a £42.5million deal.
The 22-year-old has gone on to become an England regular since leaving the Etihad for regular football.
Following the Blues’ defeat on Saturday night, City boss Guardiola singled out Palmer for a chat.
The pair were seen laughing and joking together on the field after Palmer’s second return to City since his big-money move.
Sky pundit Neville was not impressed – and insisted any such reunion should have happened behind closed doors.
Neville told Sky Sports: “[Palmer] didn’t do enough out on that pitch in the second half.
“He’s an amazing player, absolutely brilliant.
“But those Chelsea fans that have travelled today, 3,000 to 4,000 over in that far corner, they wanted better than that.
“They don’t really want to see you conversing with the opposition manager and smiling at the end of game.”
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The pair were seen sharing a joke before walking towards the tunnels at the Etihad.
And Neville believes it was a power move from Guardiola – who “played” his former star.
Neville continued: “He was smiling with him – Pep Guardiola does that.
“Cole, you’re being played, you’re being played here.
“I’m not being old school here. But there was something about that when I thought, Pep Guardiola is playing you here.
“I know he’s had him [at City], but he didn’t play him here and he sold him.”
One fan agreed on X: “It’s such a double standard that people just let Pep always do this. He never does it after a defeat too.”
Another said: “It’s the way Pep always stands in front of the player to prevent them from just walking off the pitch, making sure the camera gets a chance to close in on them. It’s embarrassing.”
While a third countered: “What’s wrong with that, he used to be his manager.”
Following Saturday’s loss, Chelsea have now won just one of their last five Premier League games.
They have slipped back to sixth, with City replacing them in the top four.
Cole, you’re being played, you’re being played here. I’m not being old school here. But there was something about that when I thought, Pep Guardiola is playing you here.
Gary Neville
Following Palmer’s move to City, Guardiola claimed he had been the “decisive player of the season” in 2023/24.
The forward netted 22 goals in his opening season at Stamford Bridge, chipping in with a further 11 assists.
And Guardiola was forced to admit Palmer had begged to leave the Etihad for TWO years.
Pep said last April: “He said he wanted to leave.
“What could we do? He was asking for two seasons to leave and I said, ‘No, stay’.
“I also said in pre-season he should stay because Riyad Mahrez had gone, but he said, ‘No, I want to leave’.
“So after two seasons what could I say?”
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