Why Man City player refuse to shake Cole Palmer’s hand in tunnel before Chelsea match

Why Man City player refuse to shake Cole Palmer’s hand in tunnel before Chelsea match

In a dramatic clash between Chelsea and former side Manchester City on Saturday, Cole Palmer found himself in an unusual situation as he missed out on a handshake from one of the reigning champions.

As the two Premier League giants battled at the Etihad Stadium in a thrilling encounter that ended in a 1-1 draw, tensions surfaced in the tunnel before kick-off. Raheem Sterling, a former Citizen, struck the first goal just before halftime, setting the stage for an intense matchup. Mauricio Pochettino’s side, seemingly on the brink of a significant victory, faced a late setback when a deflected shot from Rodri found the net, leveling the score.

Amidst the action-packed 95 minutes, a potential moment of tension unfolded in the tunnel before the game. Cole Palmer, making his first return to the Etihad since his £42 million move to Chelsea earlier in the season, did not receive a handshake from one Manchester City player – Ederson Moraes, the starting goalkeeper.

Cole Palmer shaking hands with his former teammates in the tunnel 🤝👀 pic.twitter.com/KTUavudmBq

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 17, 2024

While awaiting the referee’s signal to take the field, Palmer exchanged greetings with every City starter, sharing brief moments with Erling Haaland and Phil Foden. However, Ederson appeared to miss the opportunity to extend the same warmth to the 21-year-old. The reason behind this apparent snub is surprisingly logical.

Palmer had turned around to face the path of the City players only after the first player had already gone down the tunnel, and that player happened to be Ederson. The goalkeeper, unable to spot the Englishman, inadvertently missed the chance to greet his former teammate.

Despite the handshake mishap, Palmer has been making waves in his debut season with Chelsea, leading the side with an impressive 10 Premier League goals and contributing six assists in the league. The talented attacking midfielder is set to compete in his first final with the club next week as Chelsea takes on Liverpool in the EFL Cup final on Sunday, February 25.