Palmer being likened to Zola

London – Enzo Maresca compared Chelsea crowd-pleaser Cole Palmer (above) to former Stamford Bridge star Gianfranco Zola after the England midfielder's match-winning goal in a 2-1 victory at home to Newcastle on Sunday.

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Zola, 58, was among the crowd to watch his 22-year-old successor to the Blues' No 10 shirt produce another impressive display which Palmer capped by scoring the decisive second-half goal that left Chelsea on the cusp of the top four.

He has now scored 19 goals in his last 15 home league appearances.

But with Zola's celebrated seven-year stint at Stamford Bridge ending in 2003, Palmer said he was only familiar with the Italian playmaker through video games.