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Chelsea star Cole Palmer gatecrashed an interview involving Liam Rosenior, which led to plenty of laughing, and hinting at the working relationship behind the scenes at the club
Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior was left in hysterics after the manager's interview with club media was distracted by Cole Palmer's presence during questioning. It came after the England international bagged a first-half hat-trick for the Blues in a 3-1 win over Wolves in the Premier League.
That triumph ensured that Rosenior continues his perfect record in the league, having won all of his first four matches in the division so far. The feat hasn't just stopped Chelsea from the slide that they endured at the end of Enzo Maresca's reign, but has kept them firmly in the race for Champions League qualification.
While several factors could be at play for this turnaround, the arrival of the new head coach may be the most significant of those that helped contribute to the uptick in form. Rosenior's man management has come in for some particular praise, with his close bond with the players already on display.
That was shown in the Chelsea club media's interview with the head coach, following the win over Wolves. As the interviewer looked to begin questioning, Rosenior burst into laughter as the camera panned to Palmer watching on and waiting to hear words of praise from his boss.
The manager said: "Sorry, that just threw me," as he laughed in the opening stages of the discussion. "Hopefully we can keep him [Palmer] fit and on the pitch and doing what he loves to do."
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The reaction from Rosenior and Palmer spoke volumes about how close the dressing room already is under the new boss, with that connection between players and head coach already present. That sort of buy-in from the squad can help take the ideas from the training ground onto the pitch quickly.
It's not the first time this dynamic has been seen, with Rosenior gatecrashing Joao Pedro's interview after Chelsea's win over Napoli in the Champions League.
While there is a serious nature to what happens on the pitch, there is a clear desire to relax in other aspects around the club.
Chelsea will be hopeful that can continue to bring the points flowing, after a positive start to life under the new head coach so far. His management of Palmer will be one area that will be under the microscope in the early days of his tenure.
The England international burst onto the scene after his move from Manchester City, but a mixture of injury troubles and tactical dilemmas has held him back in the past year. The first-half hat-trick against Wolves, which included two penalties, could well point towards a more promising run ahead for the playmaker.
Palmer spoke to the press after the game and suggested that the new boss has helped to transform their fortunes at the club. He said: "Life under Liam [Rosenior] is amazing, you know, he gives us more confidence, lets us be ourselves, playing free. So I'm sure when I'm back proper fit then you'll see the best of me."
Palmer's injury and fitness issues have been a particular concern for Chelsea this season, which has forced them to navigate through large chunks of the campaign without him. Rosenior claimed that the forward is capable of playing 90 minutes again, but protected him with an early substitution against Wolves, with the match already sealed.
Chelsea's win at Molineux leaves them fifth in the table with 43 points, just one point behind rivals Manchester United in fourth and four points behind Aston Villa in third. There's midweek action for the Blues to consider next, as they welcome Leeds United to Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night.
That is before the FA Cup rolls around, with Rosenior taking on his old side Hull City on Friday night, as the games continue to come thick and fast.
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