In the buildup to the highly anticipated match between Manchester City and Chelsea, a noteworthy incident occurred in the tunnel before kick-off.
Prior to the enthralling encounter at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday (February 17), there was a moment when Cole Palmer, making his first return to the Etihad since joining Chelsea for Β£42 million earlier in the season, was not greeted by Ederson Moraes.
While every other Manchester City starter exchanged greetings with Palmer as they awaited the referee’s signal to take the field, Ederson was the sole player who did not shake hands with the young midfielder.
Despite the potential tension arising from this omission, there is a logical explanation for why the customary handshake did not occur. It turns out that Ederson missed the opportunity to greet Palmer simply because of the timing of his exit from the tunnel.
As the players prepared to step onto the pitch, Palmer received warm welcomes from his former teammates, including brief embraces with Erling Haaland and Phil Foden.
However, Ederson, the Brazilian goalkeeper, had turned away from Palmer’s direction just as the Englishman was entering the tunnel. Since Ederson was the first player to exit the tunnel and Palmer approached from behind, the goalkeeper inadvertently missed the chance to acknowledge his former colleague.
Meanwhile, in another sporting realm, fans of Luke Littler, the 17-year-old darts sensation known as “The Nuke,” can now show their support by purchasing his playing shirt.
Littler, who captured attention at the age of 16 with his remarkable performance at the World Darts Championship (WDC), where he reached the final before falling to Luke Humphries, continues to showcase his talent in the Premier League.
He is set to compete against top dart players like Michael van Gerwen, Gerwyn Price, and Peter Wright in a mini-tournament held in various cities every Thursday leading up to the May final.
Back on the football field, despite Manchester City’s efforts to secure victory in the match against Chelsea, they were held to a 1-1 draw. Raheem Sterling, a former City player, netted the opening goal just before halftime, marking his second goal against the reigning champions this season.
Although City pushed for a late winner, they were unable to breach Chelsea’s defense for the second time, settling for a point. This result leaves City trailing league leaders Liverpool by four points with a game in hand.
Despite the handshake incident and the draw, Palmer continues to impress in his debut season at Chelsea, leading the team with ten Premier League goals and six assists. The talented midfielder is set to feature in his first club final next week as Chelsea faces Liverpool in the EFL Cup final on Sunday (February 25).
