Palmer gives honest opinion on controversial Mudryk goal against Arsenal

22 October 2023 , 08:33

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Mykhaylo Mudryk celebrates scoring against Arsenal for Chelsea (Image: Getty Images)

Chelsea star Cole Palmer has claimed Mykhaylo Mudryk "might have meant it" as he scored his first goal at Stamford Bridge with what appeared to be a cross.

Palmer gave Chelsea the lead against Arsenal from the penalty spot, before Mudryk doubled their lead when goalkeeper David Raya was caught out. However, the Gunners were able to mount a comeback with late goals from Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard earning them a 2-2 draw.

"We're obviously very disappointed not to get the three points but Arsenal are a very good side and one of the best teams in the league," Palmer said after the game. "We went toe-to-toe with them.

"He [Mudryk] might have meant it - I don't know. If he meant it, fair play to him." Arsenal boss Arteta, meanwhile, branded Mudryk's goal "very strange", stating: "I haven't seen it live again, we looked at it from the angle, it's a very strange angle to concede from.

"I didn't know if it was a deflection or the trajectory of the ball. Even though we conceded in a situation like the goal of Mudryk, we kept going and they did exactly what we asked of them, that you never give up and we continued to go and go.

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"We should have scored a goal earlier, we didn't, but the team was always there to fight until the end. In the end, we got a point after a really difficult result and the way it started."

Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville, however, was critical of Raya for the goal. "His position Raya is not good enough he's far too far forward that is not good from the Arsenal goalkeeper and that should not end up in the back of the net," Neville told Sky Sports.

"It's meant as a cross for Raheem Sterling from Mudryk, he doesn't mean to chip him but the fact he can chip him isn't right. He's too far forward there's no doubt about that. He's probably a yard too far off his line. He's beyond the near post it just isn't right. Why he's there you'll have to ask him.

"If a goalkeeper makes a mistake, that's the goalkeeper's problem. The issue is that there is a very good goalkeeper on the bench that hadn't done anything wrong. It surprised us all when Aaron Ramsdale was left out of a game a month or so ago.

"We thought it might be for a couple of games, but now it looks as though David Raya is No 1. The problem is he's started to now look nervy and is making mistakes. It's a case of two goalkeepers of equal ability and you don't know who your No 1 is - you've got an issue."

Matthew Cooper