A player that Manchester City let go reins them back in, in a game that took off. Cole Palmer’s fine stoppage-time penalty was quite an ending to the story of the day, crowning what was probably the match of the season so far. While Chelsea’s late 4-4 draw ensures the defending champions are only a point clear at the top, it felt like this had a significance for more than the title race. It could be a launchpad for Palmer and maybe this Chelsea side, as they finally looked like a proper Mauricio Pochettino team. They pressed and pushed City into a pulsating 4-4 draw, Pep Guardiola’s side doing their own part with some wondrous play. There are a lot of issues with modern football, and it felt like this whole week was dominated by talk of referees, but this game right at the end reminded why we watch. VAR was mercifully muted, not quite silent, but it would feel even more wrong to talk about it after a game like that. This was really about the concentration of quality on show, particularly Reece James, Manuel Akanji, Rodri, Phil Foden, Erling Haaland and - perhaps above all - former City players Raheem Sterling and Palmer. Sterling might well have finished upstaged by Palmer, but he won’t be too bothered about that, not with his goal and the way they clicked together. There is something there. It felt symbolic that all of Chelsea’s front three - including the burgeoning Nicolas Jackson - scored. They are a long way off City’s imperious level, but it is telling they have not yet lost to a big-six side. Chelsea beat Tottenham Hotspur on Monday and have now followed that and previous draws with Liverpool and Arsenal with perhaps the most significant of the lot. It was, somewhat ironically given recent games, VAR that actually got things going. The match had started at a fast pace without too much happening, until the officials spotted some jostling between Haaland and Marc Cucurella. It looked like the both had as much a hold of each other, but the Chelsea defender hung on longer, resulting in a penalty. Haaland of course scored. Perhaps aggravated, it fired something in Chelsea. What followed was probably their best spell of football of the season. That was partly driven by Sterling’s best spell in a Chelsea shirt, but there was more to it. There was certainly so much to Palmer. It was like something finally clicked, with the attack rampant. Palmer was everywhere. The forward’s movement and touches were the perfect foil for Sterling’s running, which he often decorated with vintage tricks and nutmegs. Jeremy Doku, who could probably be described as Sterling’s long-term successor, was the victim of one flick through the legs. The pressure first told from a corner, with Thiago Silva plundering a fine equaliser with a guided header. Chelsea were at that point overrunning City, literally, which led to Reece James surging down the right to set up Sterling for a finish he would have relished. As good as Chelsea were, and as deserving as their lead was, they soon faced a dilemma. The issue with facing this City and getting the better of them is that you only have a certain amount of time until Guardiola figures it out and decisively changes it to reassert control. It felt like that had happened by the hour. City had already equalised before half-time through a brilliant Akanji header, capping a fine individual game. It could have been a lot worse for City had the centre-half not been so dominant, as Ruben Dias had an unusually erratic display. Akanji’s presence made it all the more surprising he was left unmarked. For the third goal, then, City just made their own space. Phil Foden paused on the ball to allow Julian Alvarez to burst from deep, the overlap then allowing Haaland to sneak in on the other side. It wasn’t the cleanest finish, but it was still artful forward play due to the quality of the run. VAR checked for half-time, but it would have been ludicrous to rule it out. Chelsea, for their part, kept persevering. This is where more encouragement could come from the display. They again gave Dias trouble, as the centre-half found himself caught out from a parried shot, allowing Jackson to equalise. Palmer was again making so much happen, enjoying the freedom that Pochettino affords him. If it feels remarkable that City let an academy player like that go, it only speaks to their strength in depth. The next goal suitably came from way back. Rodri took a shot from distance on 86 minutes, and the ball deflected into the net. There was still more in the game, though. Pochettino has instilled something in Chelsea. They kept going, and forced Dias into another rash moment. Palmer stepped up, You could have forgiven him for feeling some nerves. Ederson would have faced him a lot in training. Palmer made all that irrelevant, as he showed no nerves at all. It is obviously too early to say Chelsea are back. Palmer, however, is here. Read More Jamie Carragher bemused by penalty decision in Man City vs Chelsea: ‘It’s not right’ Five things we learned from Chelsea and Man City’s eight-goal thriller Chelsea’s downward spiral offers stark warning to Man City Jeremy Doku’s brilliance shows Man City’s edge and Chelsea’s key problem Chelsea will be fighting for titles sooner rather than later, says Pep Guardiola Chelsea vs Manchester City LIVE: Latest Premier League updates

Players and coaches across the top men's soccer league in Italy have had red marks painted on their faces to promote a campaign for the elimination of violence against women

Robert O'Neill was previously arrested in 2016 for DUI

Cam Skattebo rushed and passed for touchdowns in the second half, and undermanned Arizona State shocked UCLA 17-7

Hersha Parady played Walnut Grove schoolteacher Alice Garvey in a three-season run on 'Little House on the Prairie'

WESTLAKE, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 28, 2023--

Top G had lots to say about the life of gamers and how they are not really 'working'

BLOOMINGTON, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun 7, 2023--

In the segment from a past 'JRE' episode, Martin shares her personal insights into life in Palestine during her time there

A Romanian man who was part of a people-smuggling gang responsible for the deaths of 39 Vietnamese migrants in the UK was jailed for...

Williams have confirmed that Logan Sargeant has kept his seat for the 2024 F1 season. The American driver’s future at the team was in doubt after he finished bottom of all the active drivers in the 2023 standings, registering just one point in 22 races. But team boss James Vowles has put the speculation to bed and confirmed Sargeant’s spot as Alex Albon’s team-mate next season. "I am pleased to continue our journey with Logan into the 2024 season,” Vowles said. “Logan has demonstrated immense skill whilst under the pressure of the world stage, making him a perfect fit for our team. We have great confidence in his abilities and believe that together we can achieve even greater success in the upcoming season." Sargeant added: "I am thrilled to be continuing with Williams Racing for the 2024 season. It has been an incredible journey with the team so far, and I am grateful for the opportunity to continue developing as a driver within such a talented and dedicated group. “We have exciting plans for the future, and I can’t wait to contribute to the team’s success in the coming year." More to follow... Read More Max Verstappen reveals three favourite wins in 2023 title triumph F1 Drive reveal bespoke karts with ‘DRS’ for Tottenham Hotspur Stadium track Lando Norris snaps at Max Verstappen ‘BFF’ comment

Yesterday's massive news that Dave Portnoy had bought Barstool Sports back from Penn Gaming after ESPN came calling is one of the rare win-win-win situations in sports media. The deal worked out for everyone in a way and Portnoy's payoff will come more immediately as he's now regained the wheel of what was once a true pirate ship. There's a new boss in town and he's a lot like one of the old bosses because he is one of the old bosses. And the vibe has changed a bit in the direction of Barstool's old-school ways.