Cole Palmer Warns Chelsea Must Be Brave at St James' Park or “They Can Eat You Alive”

Cole Palmer has sent a strong message to his Chelsea teammates ahead of Sunday’s tough Premier League clash with Newcastle United at St James’ Park — “Be brave, or they’ll eat you alive.”

Palmer, who recently turned 23, knows exactly how difficult this match will be, especially with both teams fighting for a top-five finish and a place in next season’s Champions League.

“It’s going to be a tough game, we all know what that stadium is like,” Palmer said. “Newcastle are doing well and are also aiming for Champions League. If we’re not brave or if we play scared, they’ll eat us alive. We have to go there to win.”

Newcastle have been in red-hot form at home, winning five games in a row and scoring 18 goals in the process. Chelsea, on the other hand, have struggled when playing away at St James’ Park, losing eight of their last 12 visits in all competitions.

Palmer didn’t play in Chelsea’s midweek win over Djurgarden in the Europa Conference League, where they advanced to the final with a 5-1 aggregate victory. He was one of the key players rested by manager Enzo Maresca to keep him fresh for Sunday’s vital Premier League match.

Although he’s happy about reaching the final, Palmer made it clear that Sunday’s league clash is the real priority. “It’s a nice feeling to be in the final, but the focus now is 100% on Newcastle,” he said.

Palmer spent his birthday watching a Champions League semi-final between Inter Milan and Barcelona, which only made him more determined to help Chelsea get back to Europe’s top competition next season.

He also ended his long goal drought last weekend after going 18 matches without scoring — a big confidence boost at the perfect time.

“We’ve got a young squad, but there’s so much quality here,” Palmer added. “You saw that in the way we played on Thursday night. I think the depth of the squad will help us finish strong.”

At just 23, Palmer is becoming more than just a regular starter — he’s slowly turning into a leader. “I feel like I’m becoming a leader in the dressing room, but I know I’m still young, and I’ve got more growing to do,” he said.

Despite the pressure of big matches ahead, Palmer still found time to celebrate his birthday with a simple game of football with friends on a rented astroturf after training.

“It was just a bit of fun, messing about really,” he laughed. But starting Sunday, there’s no time for fun as Chelsea prepare for a season-defining stretch — with Manchester United coming to Stamford Bridge next, followed by a final-day showdown at Nottingham Forest.