Cole Palmer said it is too early to predict where Chelsea will finish this season after they swept aside Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
The 3-0 win sent the Blues third albeit with an identical record to second-placed Arsenal, as Enzo Maresca’s side turned in possibly the most complete performance from a Chelsea team in the Clearlake Capital era.
It was hard to remember a display so full of energy and cohesion in the last two-and-a-half seasons as goals from Nicolas Jackson and Enzo Fernandez in the first half and a late stunner from Palmer made it three wins in a row in all competitions.
Maresca has repeatedly batted away any suggestion that his team are in the title race.
But with the rapid strides that continue to be made since his appointment there is growing belief around west London that the club is through the rocky patch that characterised the early years of the American group’s ownership.
Palmer though would not be drawn on the team’s targets.
“It’s too early (to predict),” he said.
“If we keep winning then we’ll be near the top four, but like the gaffer said Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal have been together for more than five years, whereas we’ve only been together for a season. We just want to keep going and winning the games.”
Palmer’s goal made him the second-fastest Chelsea player to reach 30 in the Premier League after Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.
The former Netherlands international racked up 87 goals in 177 appearances for the club between 2000 and 2004 after joining from Atletico Madrid in a then-club record £15million deal.
Palmer has achieved his 30-goal feat playing mainly in the number 10 role behind a lone striker and in addition to his impressive scoring record has also provided 18 assists since the start of last season.
“I didn’t know about that,” said Palmer when told he was second only to Hasselbaink.
“Jimmy wasn’t a bad striker to be fair. I don’t know about the records until anyone tells me. Jimmy is a legend at Chelsea and the Premier League.”
The win over Villa came after Maresca made 10 changes from the side that beat Heidenheim 2-0 in the Conference League on Thursday, with only Jadon Sancho keeping his place.
Unai Emery’s line-up, most of whom played in Wednesday’s goalless Champions League draw with Juventus, were made to look tired by a fresh, energetic Chelsea who never allowed them to settle on the ball and at times ran rings around them.
“The manager knows what he’s doing so we trust him,” said Palmer.
“The cup competitions are good and people don’t travel so we have fresh legs to change it up. I think it’s all down to the manager and the desire he puts into the sessions, and then what the players give for him. You can see out there from the way we were playing.”