Enzo Maresca says Cole Palmer and Joao Felix are "different" to the rest of their Chelsea teammates.
Palmer scored a stunning goal and set up another for Enzo Fernandez, while Felix impressed off the bench, as the Blues thumped Aston Villa 3-0 at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Nicolas Jackson scored Chelsea's other goal in the win, which moved Maresca's team exactly level with Arsenal in the Premier League table.
Both sides have now picked up 25 points from their first 13 games, and also boast the same goal difference and number of goals scored. As such, they are now separated only alphabetically in the table – Arsenal in second, and Chelsea in third.
Speaking after victory over Villa, Maresca said: "Cole Palmer, Joao Felix is the reason why people pay for tickets; to watch that type of player."
"Cole Palmer can see things, like Joao, that the rest cannot see," explained the Italian coach. "It doesn't mean the rest are not good but they are different from the rest."
Palmer closes in on Chelsea record
Palmer's goal and assist versus Villa means he is now close to breaking a Chelsea record that has stood for over two decades.
The Englishman has produced 34 goal contributions in the Premier League for the Blues this calendar year – which is just two short of the record 36 Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink managed for the club in 2001.
Didier Drogba had come close to breaking Hasselbaink's record in 2010, but fell just one short, finishing the year with a combined 35 goals and assists.
Palmer has six top flight games left in 2024 to surpass both players' totals.
Chelsea will see out the year with games against Southampton, Tottenham, Brentford, Everton, Fulham, and Ipswich Town.
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