Gary Neville has faced backlash for criticizing Cole Palmer’s post-match conversation with Pep Guardiola after Chelsea’s 3-1 loss to Manchester City.
Despite Chelsea’s promising start, City took control, securing victory through goals from Josko Gvardiol, Erling Haaland, and Phil Foden.
After the final whistle, Palmer, who had a quiet game, was seen laughing with Guardiola, his former manager at City.
Neville took issue with this on Sky Sports, claiming Guardiola was “playing” Palmer psychologically and that Chelsea fans wouldn’t appreciate seeing their star smiling after a defeat. “He’s an amazing player, but I expected more from him in the second half,” Neville stated.
However, former England international Joe Cole pushed back, arguing on The Dressing Room Podcast that Neville was being unfair. “You don’t know what was said, you don’t know what makes Palmer tick. Some players switch off after games; it doesn’t mean they don’t care.”
Ex-Chelsea defender Wayne Bridge also defended Palmer, saying, “He’s probably annoyed they lost, but you’re just making assumptions based on what you saw.” Meanwhile, Carlton Cole urged Palmer to ignore the noise: “He gets fans off their seats—just be yourself.”
The debate highlights contrasting perspectives on football culture—should players show visible frustration after losses, or is it fine to move on quickly?