Gary Neville has called out Cole Palmer for his post-game conversation with Pep Guardiola on the pitch after Chelsea lost 3-1 to Man City.
Palmer, 22, came through the academy at City under Guardiola, but was sold to the west London club in the summer of 2023 having struggled for regular gametime.
The attacking midfielder has been a revelation at Chelsea, racking up a remarkable 60 goal contributions in just 70 matches.
However, Palmer endured a rare off night on his second return to the Etihad as Enzo Maresca‘s side succumbed to a disappointing defeat.
And, following the game, Palmer enjoyed a lengthy conversation on the pitch with Guardiola where the pair could been seen laughing and smiling.
This led to a heated reaction from Neville, who insisted Palmer’s behaviour wasn’t appropriate for the situation.
Gary Neville has called out Cole Palmer for his post-game conversation with Pep Guardiola
The City academy graduate was seen in deep discussion with Guardiola after Chelsea’s defeat
Gary Neville was critical of Palmer and said his actions are not what Chelsea fans want to see
‘I want to say something about Cole Palmer,’ he told The Gary Neville Podcast. ‘He was talking to Pep Guardiola on the pitch right at the end of the game.
‘And he was smiling with him and he was… Pep Guardiola does that. (But) Cole, you’re being played, you’re being played here.
‘You didn’t do enough out on that pitch in the second half. He’s an amazing player, absolutely brilliant, but you know something… those Chelsea fans that have travelled today, 3,000 to 4,000 over in that far corner, they wanted better than that.
‘They don’t really want to see you conversing with the opposition manager and smiling at the end of game.’
Despite making his City debut at the age of 18 in September 2020, Palmer would only go onto play 19 times for the club over the next three years as he battled for gametime with the likes of Phil Foden, Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling.
Palmer eventually made the decision to move on after making just three Premier League starts and Neville highlighted this as another reason as to why he shouldn’t be chatting and smiling with Guardiola on the pitch.
‘I’m not being old school here,’ he added. ‘But there was something about that when I thought, Pep Guardiola is playing you here. I know he’s had him, (but) he didn’t play him here and he sold him.’
‘Having a conversation inside I’m not against that. Obviously he’s played for the manager. I just felt at the end something about that I didn’t feel was right from a Cole Palmer perspective.
Neville was critical of Palmer’s display and felt he didn’t do enough for Chelsea on the night
He also claimed that Palmer was ‘being played’ by Guardiola and felt the chat ‘wasn’t right’
‘I don’t look at why Pep Guardiola has done it, that’s what Pep Guardiola does but I wouldn’t (do that) if I’d lost 3-1 away from home and I’d been as disappointing as that.
‘And Cole Palmer I expected more from him in the second half.’
Despite Palmer’s disappointing evening – which was the second successive game in which the 22-year-old hasn’t scored or assisted – he is in the midst of a fine season.
The attacking midfielder has netted 14 goals and added six assists in 23 Premier League games.
Chelsea dropped to sixth after their defeat at the Etihad and return to action a week on Monday when they host West Ham.
