"We should call him Lionel Messi" - Mauricio Pochettino reacts hilariously to Chelsea attacker's misses against Aston Villa

Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino has reacted hilariously to Cole Palmer's failure to score in the Blues' 0-0 FA Cup draw with Aston Villa on Friday (January 26).

The England international was gifted an opportunity in the 19th minute when he shot straight at the keeper from close range. Palmer would go on to spurn another glorious opportunity in the 69th minute when he miskicked a volley, one-on-one with Emiliano Martinez.

Speaking to the press after the match, Pochettino hilariously stated that the 21-year-old would be called Lionel Messi if he scored in every match. The Argentine coach said (via Goal):

"No, I think he cannot score in every single game. If he did, we should maybe not call him Cole Palmer, we should call him maybe Leo [Messi]. No, it is not about his position - and his potential is massive. It's just sometimes you score or not. Sometimes you have better nights but he is doing well."

He added:

"He is a player who can play in different positions and you can see and feel that we never talk about his performances because he is always doing really good. It's just that sometimes he scores or doesn't score, but he always finds amazing chances in the game."

Despite failing to score on this occasion, Palmer has been the standout in a struggling Chelsea side. Following his reported £40-million move from Manchester City, the youngster has scored 13 goals and bagged seven assists from 27 appearances across competitions.

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Chelsea looking to hijack Arsenal's move for Amadou Onana - Reports

Amadou Onana

Chelsea are reportedly looking to hijack Arsenal's move for Everton midfielder Amadou Onana before the close of the January transfer window, as per Express (via Just Arsenal).

More notably, this report claims that the Blues are willing to sacrifice Conor Gallagher to raise funds for the Belgium international. This season, Onana has made 24 appearances across competitions for the Toffees, bagging two goals and an assist.

A move to Stamford Bridge may require Onana to be patient for game time. He will have the likes of Moises Caicedo, Romeo Lavia, and Enzo Fernandez to contend with.

Meanwhile, the Gunners are seeking solutions to Thomas Partey's injury problems. The Ghanaian has made just four Premier League appearances this campaign, leaving Declan Rice to occupy the number six position.

If Onana does move to the Emirates, he could play the defensive midfield role, allowing Rice to venture further forward.