Cole Palmer’s perfect penalty record – 12 Premier League spot-kicks taken, 12 scored – backed up his “cold” image as a man who delivers under pressure, but that run finally came to an end at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Chelsea were awarded a penalty in the first half when Leicester City defender Rasmus Kristensen dived in on a jinking Jadon Sancho in the box. Sancho fell theatrically but there was clear contact and referee Tim Robinson pointed to the spot.
The Leicester players did their best to delay the kick and put off Palmer. When he eventually stepped up, the Chelsea forward’s strike was well hit and aimed towards the bottom-right corner, but Mads Hermansen got down brilliantly to push the ball safely around the post.
It was the first time Palmer has missed a penalty in his career, having scored 12 for Chelsea and one for England in a friendly last June.
He held the record for the most Premier League penalties scored without ever missing from the spot, but that record is now returned to Yaya Toure, whose 100 per cent record came from 11 attempts.
