Cole Palmer ‘can fit into any squad’ and Man City star’s FA Cup performance against Swindon Town should thrill England fans| News Today

Manchester City academy graduate Cole Palmer told ‘he can fit into any team’ after outstanding performance in 4-1 FA Cup win over Swindon Town.

Palmer, 19, made his 11th senior appearance of the season in the dominant win, and it was by far his most impressive to date.

Assisting Bernardo Silva’s opener with excellent dribbling, the versatile forward then crowned the win with a sublime close-angle finish.

City substitute manager that night Rodolfo Borrell described Palmer as a ‘huge talent’ after the game, with the Wythenshawe-born youngster looking set to become a regular on the first team.

TalkSPORT host Dean Saunders agreed, describing what makes the England junior international so special.

“Last night I thought he was a player,” Saunders said.

“I looked at him and thought, he’s fast, he comes in and shoots with his left foot, he crosses it with his right foot.

“His decision making around the box when playing with the best players, his brain had to be on par with them, he was passing and moving and choosing the right options.

“It seemed to me that this boy could fit into any team.”

Palmer entered City’s first team last season with two League Cup and Champions League appearances.

This season his tally is already 11 games, with three goals in total, marking his first for the team in a Cup win over Wycombe.

Manager Pep Guardiola has been applauded for bringing in young talent such as England international Phil Foden, and Saunders believes Palmer is on the same path.

“For every Phil Foden, there were 10, 12 players who never watched,” he said. “That’s why the FA Cup is good and the League Cup at the moment.

“The English players, for the future, they don’t watch big clubs a lot, but last night it was a big hope for everyone in England to see him play.”

Borrell, City manager in the absence of Covid-19 positive Guardiola, has given equally high praise for the youngster.

“He’s a huge talent, there is no secret,” he said.

“Everyone got to see it tonight. Ultimately, he trains with us on a daily basis.

“It is sometimes difficult to give him more minutes because you know the level of competition in this team so it is not easy but it is about being patient, to keep working hard and when he is playing, to take that kind of opportunity to show the talent who he is and show it on a consistent basis.

“But obviously, enormous quality and great potential and excellent for us as a club and for him as a player.”

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