Finally off the leash! Cole Palmer takes aim at former Chelsea managers after finding his spark under Xabi Alonso while admitting World Cup injury nightmare

The Chelsea ace has suggested he is finally playing with the handbrake off under Alonso, aiming a thinly-veiled dig at the tactical constraints placed upon him by previous managers. The 24-year-old was the standout performer in Chelsea’s 3-2 victory over Fulham on Monday night, scoring a brilliant goal that saw him drift across the pitch to finish a move initiated by Joao Pedro.

Palmer delivered a dominant individual display in the match. He topped the charts across multiple metrics, registering five shots, completing five dribbles, winning ten duels, and managing nine touches inside the opposition box.

The impressive performance highlighted his revitalised form under Alonso. Palmer noted that his goalscoring movement was directly encouraged by his new head coach, marking a stark contrast to the tactical restrictions he faced in the past.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Palmer aimed a subtle jab at former Chelsea bosses Enzo Maresca, Liam Rosenior, and Calum McFarlane. He explained that his goal against Fulham would never have happened under their guidance.

"He [Alonso] just said I'd have more freedom to drift about the pitch. Just like you saw with the goal I scored," Palmer revealed. "Last season, I wouldn't have even made that run because it's not a 'safe zone'."

The 24-year-old emphasised how Alonso has urged him to break rigid tactical boundaries. "He's saying 'move across that zone, drop into play, come get on the ball, create and just do what you do'," Palmer added.

The optimism surrounding Palmer's current form follows a highly frustrating previous campaign. Hampered by a groin problem, he missed 11 matches and saw his Premier League goal tally drop to 10, a significant decline from his earlier returns of 22 and 15.

The forward admitted to playing through the pain barrier in a frantic attempt to earn a spot in Thomas Tuchel's England squad for the World Cup. "Before my groin injury, I'd never really been injured. Well, rarely [injured]. So then I would just come back and play when I shouldn't have played," Palmer added. "Obviously the World Cup was coming up, so I was in a bit of a dilemma thinking: 'If I don't play I'm not going to go. But if I play then, I can't play [properly]'.

"It was just a bit of a sticky situation. I didn't really know how to deal with it, but it's one of those things. I was just seeing different people, getting different ideas of why I was injured and what it was.

"Since I've come back I've been working every day to obviously stop it happening again. I just want to stay injury free, and if I'm on the pitch then I know what I can do. Physically I feel good, probably the best I've felt in ages, but I think I can [get fitter] with games and more minutes."

Having sought various medical opinions to resolve his lingering groin issue, Palmer is now focused on maintaining his condition. The Chelsea star now hopes to rack up more minutes to sharpen his match fitness under Alonso. If his commanding display against Fulham is any indication, a fully fit Palmer could soon rediscover the prolific goalscoring form that defined his earlier career.