Cole Palmer thinks one Chelsea teammate is an underrated gem

Cole Palmer is a big fan of one of his Chelsea teammates.

Romeo Lavia produced an excellent performance during Saturday's 2-0 victory over Manchester United, helping Chelsea take control of the game after a difficult first half.

And one player who was particularly impressed was Palmer, who had some very interesting things to say about his teammate after the final whistle.

In fact, the England international believes supporters still don't fully appreciate just how good Lavia is.

Cole Palmer sends clear message about Romeo Lavia

Speaking to Chelsea's official website after the Blues' victory, Palmer was full of praise for the 22-year-old, describing it as one of the best performances he had seen from him.

"Today was one of the best games I've seen him play," Palmer said.

"I've said all along he's one of my favourite midfielders, and people still don't realise how good he is.

"Obviously he's had his injury problems, but he's trying to put that behind him now and put in performances like today. I thought he was the best player on the pitch."

Those are some pretty big comments from Palmer, particularly considering the quality of midfielders he has played alongside throughout his career to date, including Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham.

Lavia was excellent against United, providing the composure and control Chelsea desperately needed in the middle of the pitch.

He also played an important role in the opening goal, winning possession before feeding Morgan Rogers, who drove forward and finished brilliantly.

It was the sort of performance that explains why Chelsea were so determined to sign him from Southampton in 2023.

Chelsea could finally be seeing the best of Lavia

The biggest obstacle in Lavia's Chelsea career has undoubtedly been his fitness.

The midfielder has endured a frustrating run of injuries since arriving at Stamford Bridge, making it difficult to establish himself as a regular starter.

That has inevitably affected how us fans view him. It is difficult to appreciate a player's full ability when he spends so much time watching from the sidelines; similarly to Reece James.

However, there is little doubt about the talent he possesses. His ability to receive the ball under pressure, dictate the tempo and progress possession makes him a massively valuable option for Xabi Alonso.

Saturday's display at Stamford Bridge was another reminder of what the Blues have been missing when he has been unavailable.

Having trained and played alongside Lavia, Palmer is the perfect person to judge Lavia's quality, and describing him as one of his favourite midfielders is big praise.

Chelsea will need Lavia to stay fit if they are to get the best out of him. There is still plenty of competition for places in Alonso's midfield, but performances like this make it difficult to leave him out.