Fire and ice - Madueke and Palmer's budding partnershippublished at 16:54
Nicola Pearson
BBC Sport journalist
![Cole Palmer and Noni Madueke celebrate win at Wolves](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/640/cpsprodpb/9cd9/live/a0df0d10-63a9-11ef-a3be-9d22df5b2625.jpg.webp)
"He is cold and I am fire."
Those were the words of Chelsea's hat-trick hero Noni Madueke when asked about the provider of his three goals against Wolves, Cole Palmer - or 'Cold' Palmer as he is affectionately known by fans.
After an incredible debut season that saw him score 25 goals and provide 15 assists following his deadline day arrival from Manchester City last summer, there doesn't seem to be any hangover for Palmer.
The 22-year-old, who also scored in England's Euro 2024 final defeat by Spain, was once again at the heart of what Chelsea did well against Wolves.
He was cool and calm in a match that appeared chaotic to those watching, sending in the corner from which Nicolas Jackson opened the scoring, finding the net with a deft finish over goalkeeper Jose Sa for the Blues' second and turning provider on three occasions for Madueke.
It was the partnership between the two youngsters, both brought to the club by the new ownership in the past 18 months, that caught the eye.
Last season, Madueke, also only 22, struggled to cement a regular place in the side before finding his feet in the second half of the campaign where he became a regular feature, scoring three goals and making five assists in the final nine Premier League games.
Both favouring the right-side of the attack, there were questions last season over whether both players could play together.
They may have just answered that at Molineux on Sunday.
With Palmer playing more centrally behind Jackson and Madueke on the right-wing, the pair dominated that area of the pitch (as shown in their combined heatmap).
Madueke topped the stats among team-mates for goals (three), shots (six), shots in the box (five) and touches in the opposition box (six).
Meanwhile, Palmer was top for xG (0.67), assists (three), chances created (four) and total crosses (five). His eight passes to Madueke was also more than to any other player in blue.
Chelsea have a history of strong attacking partnerships, with Eidur Gudjohnsen-Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Frank Lampard-Didier Drogba and Cesc Fabregas-Diego Costa some of the most notable in recent times.
In Palmer and Madueke they may have just found their next one.
![Cole Palmer and Noni Madueke's combined heatmap against Wolves showing dominance in right and central areas](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/640/cpsprodpb/d1a1/live/c60d5f50-63aa-11ef-b43e-6916dcba5cbf.jpg.webp)
Cole Palmer and Noni Madueke's combined heatmap against Wolves
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