sport news Rampant Cole Palmer leaves Everton in tatters but Chelsea still can't complete ... trends now

Everton supporters are accustomed to keeping a calculator close.

In this season of deducted points and financial irregularities it comes in handy, and at Stamford Bridge it helped them keep up with the score as Cole Palmer left their defence in tatters and the goal difference took some heavy damage.

Rampant Palmer scored four, the first three before half an hour had elapsed and the fourth, to make it 5-0 from the penalty spot to reach 20 goals in the Premier League. He has scored 11 goals in his last five home games.

For Chelsea, victory made it five out of five on Monday nights this season, but could not complete the occasion without further embarrassment, as players bickered over who should take the penalty.

Noni Madueke won it, although the award was dubious since James Tarkowski seemed to win the ball, and he wanted to take it. So did Nicolas Jackson, who had scored the fourth of the night, just before half time.

Then Palmer stepped forward and took the ball, supported by captain Conor Gallagher.

The home crowd booed as Jackson refused to retreat quietly. Even after Palmer had beaten Jordan Pickford from the spot, the centre forward had to be reminded by Madueke to go and congratulate the scorer. Something he did very reluctantly.

Otherwise, it was a wonderful night for Mauricio Pochettino, capped by a popular sixth by Alfie Gilchrist, as his team closed in on the European places, with a game in hand on Manchester United in seventh, and solid home form.

The Chelsea boss may also have stumbled into his best attacking balance, although few will be as accommodating as Everton on their first outing since their second points penalty of the season, and for whom injury was added to insult when Jarrad Branthwaite and Nathan Patterson both went off injured.

On Sunday, they will face relegation rivals Nottingham Forest and this hammering means both sides go into the game at Goodison Park on the same goal difference. Sean Dyche has six days to patch up their battered confidence as well as battered bodies.

Chelsea took no time to settle into their very own brand of high-speed mayhem. They were a blur of royal blue. Fast and threatening, always looking to go forward on the attack. Although seldom with a great deal of composure. Not unless they were able to get Palmer onto the ball in advanced areas, around the fringes of the Everton penalty area.