Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior said he expects to see the best of a “fully fit” Cole Palmer after his two assists against Napoli secured a Champions League last-16 place.
Palmer came off the bench at half-time and set up Joao Pedro for a brace which turned the match at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on its head and gave the Blues a 3-2 victory to bypass February’s play-off round.
It came after reports that the England forward is unsettled in west London and favours a return to Manchester, but this was a timely return to form to help rally the team from 2-1 down in Naples.
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It had looked like being an opportunity missed against the Serie A champions who were racked by injuries, with 10 players unavailable to manager Antonio Conte.
Enzo Fernandez’s penalty had given Chelsea the perfect start before goals from youngster Antonio Vergara – his first for the club and one that will not soon be forgotten – and Rasmus Hojlund left their top-eight hopes hanging by a thread.
Then came a double intervention from Palmer and Pedro to turn things around and make it five wins from six for Rosenior.
“There was no way that Cole could have started this game and played through to 60, 70, 80 minutes,” he said. “I knew Napoli had had a difficult time with injuries. I felt that later in the game we would be stronger and I felt Cole’s performance was magnificent.
“We need to look after him. He’s had so many games over a long period of time. We need to look after him and I think the way that he’s managed himself in the last two weeks has been magnificent and hopefully we can now see the best of him now that he’s fully fit.”
Pedro’s goal to make it 2-2 just past the hour mark was a rocket and surely his best since joining the club.
“I’ve had very good conversations with him already, probably four in my office,” said Rosenior. “I think he’s sick of my office, where I’ve said to him, if you play with intensity, with your quality, the quality comes out.
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“The two goals are fantastic but the way he held the ball up for the team, the way he sprinted and started that press, the harder you work the better you are as a player and I’m very happy to have Joao in our team.”
The win meant Chelsea finished sixth in the league phase and now have among their possible last-16 opponents Newcastle and holder Paris St Germain.
For Napoli though, defeat meant elimination.
“The difference in this game has been the way (Chelsea) capitalised on their actions,” said manager Antonio Conte. “In the final third we could have made different choices in the quality of the crosses and finishes.
“I’m sorry because we did a great game in so many different aspects.
“It’s a difficult moment for us to have 10 players injured. They went well beyond my expectations tonight.”
