Cole Palmer scored twice in stoppage time to complete a hat-trick as Chelsea beat Manchester United 4-3 on Thursday, all but ending their hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League. Erik ten Hag’s side, who shot a total of 47 times in a suffocating game, fought back from 2-0 down to take a 3-2 lead and looked set to secure a vital victory victory. But boyhood United fan Palmer turned the game around, equalizing from the penalty spot in the 100th minute and then scoring the winning goal to cap the game at Stamford Bridge.

United still led at 99 minutes and 17 seconds, the latest game in the Premier League in which the team took a lead only to lose.

The crushing defeat leaves sixth-placed United 11 points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa with eight league games remaining and facing a season without Europe’s elite club competition.

But it moves Mauricio Pochettino’s side up to 10th in the table, keeping them in the hunt for a European spot after an inconsistent season.

Pochettino said his side had started well but the way they conceded had “affected the team in an emotional way”.

The Argentinian praised 21-year-old Palmer during his first season at Stamford Bridge, who has been a standout player for the club since joining in September.

“The impact has been staggering,” he told the BBC. “He did a fantastic job. It’s hard to say more about him. Today he showed mentality and quality.

“I said ‘Cole, two more minutes to believe it’.”

lightning start

Chelsea, who are winless in 12 games against Manchester United in the Premier League, took the lead in just the fourth minute under captain Connor Gallagher.

Palmer doubled the home side’s lead by converting his first penalty in the 19th minute after Anthony knocked down Marc Cucurella in the visitors’ opener.

But United got a glimmer of hope in the 34th minute when Moises Caicedo inexplicably passed the ball to Alejandro Garnacho, who rushed forward and calmly fired home.

Five minutes later, Diogo Dalot’s cross found Bruno Fernandez, who headed home at the back post, leaving both sides deadlocked.

In an exciting second period, the game fluctuated wildly from start to finish, but Garnacho put United ahead in the 67th minute when he headed home a pinpoint cross from the outside of Anthony’s left foot.

The visitors looked set to take the three points but officials said there would be eight minutes of added time.

Chelsea had a glimmer of hope when Diogo Dalot charged at Noni Maduk and referee Jared Gillett confirmed the on-the-spot decision to award a penalty after a lengthy VAR check.

But the drama doesn’t end there.

A quick corner from Enzo Fernandez put United in trouble, who passed the ball to Palmer

The Chelsea man, assisted by Manchester United’s Scott McTominay, fired past a desperate Andre Onana to seal the win and send the Stamford Bridge crowd into a frenzy.

“When those eight minutes went up, we were pumped — crazy,” Palmer told TNT Sports.

The former Manchester City man has now scored 19 goals for Chelsea since his move on September 1.

“We need to try to win as many games as possible,” he said. “There’s nothing better than being able to win like this.”

The crushing defeat leaves Ten Hag under increasing pressure in his second season at United, with new boss Jim Ratcliffe yet to decide whether to hold on or turn around.

Their only remaining title hope is the FA Cup – they will face Coventry in the semi-finals later this month to earn the right to face either Manchester City or Chelsea in the final at Wembley.

“It’s definitely a setback and now we have to deal with it and get back on our feet,” Ten Hag said. “We are resilient and you saw that today.

“The quality of our football is really high, but football is about results and you have to achieve that over time.”