Cole Palmer leaves stadium on foot... and comes under fire

Cole Palmer may already be regretting his post-match decision following Chelsea's 5-1 thrashing of Bournemouth on Saturday. The English forward and his girlfriend decided to leave Stamford Bridge on foot, and Palmer has now found himself facing heavy backlash after being accused of ignoring several young fans who recognised him and asked for autographs and photos.

Footage shared on Sunday shows the player hooded with his hands in his pockets, walking briskly alongside his girlfriend, Olivia Holder, while several children with mobile phones tried in vain to snap a photo or get an acknowledgement from the London side's star man.

The 24-year-old's attitude sparked widespread frustration among supporters reacting on social media. "I might risk the wrath of a lot of our fans here, but Cole looks like an arrogant prat the way he completely ignored those kids screaming his name," one supporter wrote, adding: "At the very least, showing a bit of love to those young fans wouldn't have hurt Palmer at all." Another fan noted: "Sign the kid's shirt who is wearing a Palmer shirt and a couple more, then apologise to the rest that you don't have time for everyone. Simple."

The incident contrasted sharply with his performance on the pitch. Against the Cherries, Palmer registered an assist in an emphatic victory for the side managed by Xabi Alonso, a result that lifted the Blues to sixth in the table.

Palmer has only recently signed a contract extension until 2034; now, he may have to put in some work to win back the affection of the fans...