"I hate to say it" - Gary Lineker salutes Chelsea star for Lionel Messi-esque moment in win over Newcastle

Gary Lineker has hailed Chelsea forward Cole Palmer, drawing comparisons with Lionel Messi for a pass he made against Newcastle United at the weekend (October 27). The Blues hosted Eddie Howe's side in the Premier League at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Chelsea secured a 2-1 victory, courtesy of goals from Nicolas Jackson and Cole Palmer. In the first half, Palmer made a sensational pass and played Pedro Neto through on the counter. Neto then found Jackson in plenty of space in the box with a simple assist and the Senegalese forward found the back of the net.

Speaking on The Rest is Football podcast after the game, Lineker was full of praise for Palmer, claiming his through ball was 'Lionel Messi-esque'. The Leicester City icon said (via talkSPORT):

“That pass, the vision and awareness, as well as the weight of pass. I hate to say it but it was almost [Lionel] Messi-esque in the way that of ‘how did he see that pass?’ I mean, what a talent.”

Alexander Isak scored an equalizer for Newcastle in the first half before Cole Palmer found the match-winner in the second period with an excellent left-footed finish at the edge of the box.

Following their victory against the Magpies, Chelsea find themselves fifth in the league standings, trailing fourth-placed Aston Villa by one point.

When Chelsea star Cole Palmer revealed childhood idol between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi

Cole Palmer once revealed that Lionel Messi was his childhood idol, admitting that he wanted to be the Argentine superstar when he was a kid. The England international also picked Messi over Cristiano Ronaldo in the never-ending GOAT debate.

Messi and Ronaldo are undeniably two of the greatest players of their generation. The pair have rivaled each other on the pitch and in the record books as they elevated the game to greater heights for the better part of two decades.

In an interview with GOAL in August, Palmer heaped praise on the Barcelona legend. He said (via beIN Sports):

“I wanted to be Lionel Messi when I was a kid. Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo? For me, Lionel Messi.”

Cole Palmer has been a revelation at Stamford Bridge since his reported £42 million move from Manchester City last year. The England international has racked up 32 goals and 20 assists already in 56 games for Chelsea. The 22-year-old finished 25th in the 2024 Ballon d'Or rankings for his exploits last term.