That was the consensus at Manchester City when the skinny midfielder moved up to the under-16s and struggled to make an impression. Coaches had always quite liked him and understood that he could make up for his lack of power and presence with skill – but that changed when he was 15 and moved to a new team.

Enzo Maresca has revealed Cole Palmer headed straight down the tunnel after being substituted in the 1-0 win over Leicester City because he'd played through illness. The Blues' talisman is enduring a rare dry spell in front of goal and failed to take a golden chance to end his slump when he stepped up to take a penalty in the first half of Sunday's game.