London: Chelsea playmaker Cole Palmer has become the first player in the 32-year history of the Premier League to score four goals in the first half of a match. The England international's flurry of goals came in a 20-minute span in Chelsea's 4-2 win against Brighton at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. Palmer scored in the 21st, 28th, 31st and 41st minutes, with the haul including a penalty as well as a long-range free kick that completed his hat trick.
No player has ever scored so many goals before halftime in a single match, according to Opta, which provides statistics to the Premier League. Palmer also had a four-goal haul for Chelsea last season in a 6-0 win over Everton in April, also at home. The playmaker joined Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink in scoring at least three goals in a game three times for Chelsea in the league.
The game against Brighton was only Palmer's 39th league appearance for Chelsea after joining from Manchester City in the offseason of 2023. He scored 22 goals last season, second only to City's Erling Haaland (27), and already has six goals in this campaign..