After Chelsea beat Real Betis, Palmer expressed his frustration, saying he was tired of receiving the ball and only moving it sideways or backwards. However, in the second half, he turned the game around, and his comments seemed to be a turning point for him.

Following the victory over LAFC, Maresca praised Palmer's recent display. "I had a short conversation with Cole after the game," Maresca said. "I told him that I really liked the way he played. He took responsibility, showed initiative with the ball, and was trying to receive it and go one-on-one against players."

Maresca also referenced Palmer's comments after the Conference League final, where he said he was bored with receiving the ball and wanted to do something different. Maresca encouraged Palmer to be more proactive from the start, and it seemed to have an impact on his performance in the Club World Cup.

Palmer may not have contributed to a goal, but his performance was impressive, and Maresca recognizes his quality as a player. "Cole is our best player, a top player," Maresca said. "We are happy when he does things right, and hopefully, he can continue to do so."

The game ended with Chelsea winning thanks to goals from Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez, assisted by Nicolas Jackson and new signing Liam Delap. Palmer's performance will likely be an important factor in Chelsea's success in the tournament.