sport news Chelsea is a 'CESSPIT of over-inflated egos', claims Chris Sutton on It's All ... trends now
Chris Sutton has dubbed Chelsea's dressing room a 'cesspit of over-inflated egos' following the on-pitch scrap over who would take the penalty against Everton on Monday night.
Cole Palmer was already on a hat-trick when the Blues - who were leading 4-0 - won a penalty after Noni Madueke was brought down in the box, and having netted nine times from the spot this season was primed to step up once again.
But his efforts were delayed when a tussle broke out between Madueke and Nicolas Jackson over whether one of them might take the spot kick, which prompted boos from the Stamford Bridge faithful until the disagreement was eventually broken up by Conor Gallagher.
Palmer duly buried his penalty to help secure the eventual 6-0 victory over the beleagured Toffees, but the in-fighting within his side forced Mauricio Pochettino to stress in the firmest of possible terms that the west London side's leading goalscorer is the designated penalty taker and that future squabbling will result in punishment.
But despite Pochettino's stern warning to his players after the final whistle, Mail Sport columnist Sutton suggested that the visible disquiet likely meant that lingering problems remain amongst the squad.
Noni Madueke (left) and Nicolas Jackson (right) were both drawn into a tussle over penalty-taking duties against Everton
Several players were involved in the fracas before Cole Palmer - who has scored 100 per cent of his spot kicks this season - could step up
The league's joint-top scorer buried his effort to put Chelsea 5-0 up against the limp Toffees
Asked by Ian Ladyman what he thought about the incident on Mail Sport's It's All Kicking Off podcast, Sutton said that he 'couldn't believe what (he) was seeing'.
'Do you know the thing which stood out for me? I don't think Cole Palmer's missed a penalty. So therefore, what was the debate about?
'It just tells me the Chelsea dressing room is a bit of a cesspit of over-inflated egos,
