Alan Shearer says Cole Palmer has been stuck in a tough spot this season, thanks to his nagging injuries.

Palmer’s barely played half of Chelsea’s Premier League matches because of a groin problem that just won’t quit. Even so, the 23-year-old—last season’s Premier League Young Player of the Year—just hammered home a hat-trick in Chelsea’s 3-1 win over Wolves on Saturday. Those three goals nearly doubled his tally, bumping him from four to seven in the league.

Shearer, who scored more Premier League goals than anyone and knows a thing or two about injury struggles himself, feels for Palmer. He’s been there. “It was interesting hearing Cole talk after the Wolves game about how he’s managing his injury,” Shearer said on The Rest is Football podcast. “I hated being in that position—knowing you have to push through, but you can’t train the way you want. You get through a match, things feel okay, and then it’s back to square one. It’s miserable. The sooner he gets past it, the better.”

Gary Lineker jumped in too. He knows exactly what Palmer’s dealing with. “I had the same injury at Everton for a year,” Lineker said. “It was always there—a constant niggle. I couldn’t really train, and that’s why people used to say all I did was sit in the bath. There was a reason. I struggled, but I could still play. The pain never stopped me from playing, just annoyed me. It finally went away after I took a break following the World Cup. It’s weird: once you’re playing, you feel alright, but then it can tighten up out of nowhere. Sounds like Cole’s stuck in the same loop.”

Chelsea’s new manager, Liam Rosenior, couldn’t stop praising Palmer after that hat-trick. “We know what a world-class player he is,” Rosenior said. “He’s played loads of football this last year, with hardly any time to rest. When he’s on it, no one can stop him. I’m thrilled to work with him.”

Rosenior told reporters on Monday that Palmer came out of the Wolves game just fine—he’s fit and ready to start against Leeds on Tuesday night. “Cole’s available for tomorrow,” he said. “Any world-class player is key to what you want to achieve. I love seeing him enjoy his football and banging in goals. Hopefully, he keeps this up.”

Chelsea sit fifth in the league, just one point from the top four, before they clashed with 16th-placed Leeds. Earlier in the season, Palmer’s injury troubles seemed like they might ruin his World Cup dreams, but Danny Murphy thinks he’s a lock for the England squad if he stays healthy. “If he plays like we know he can from now to the end of the season, he’s definitely in,” Murphy told BBC Sport. “He can play wide, as a 10—he’s so smooth on the ball and fearless. Even off the bench, he can change a game in an instant.”

Last time Chelsea faced Leeds, they lost—a shock that turned out to be one of Enzo Maresca’s final games as manager. Rosenior has made a big impact since stepping in, with Chelsea winning seven of their last nine games. Only Arsenal tripped them up in both legs of the Carabao Cup semi-final.

Shearer likes what he sees from Rosenior so far. “They’re out of the Carabao Cup, but he’s started strong,” Shearer said. “They’ve got Leeds and Burnley next, so things might get trickier. Still, it’s been really good. You get the feeling some people are waiting for Rosenior to slip up, but he can’t worry about that. As long as you’re winning, you can do and say what you like. Things are going well for him right now.”

Liam Rosenior couldn’t have dreamed of a better start at Chelsea. He’s now won his first four Premier League games in charge, and Saturday’s 3-1 win over Wolves just kept the momentum rolling. Cole Palmer stole the show with a first-half hat-trick, and honestly, it felt at times like Chelsea might pile on even more. Wolves did snag a goal back in the second half, but Rosenior was all smiles about the result—especially since it followed wins over Brentford, Crystal Palace, and West Ham.

Talking to the press, Rosenior said, “I mean, it doesn’t really get better than this. Coming into a club like Chelsea, you want to hit the ground running, and we’ve done just that. The exciting thing is, I still see so much more potential in this group. As long as we keep improving while picking up wins, I’m a happy manager.”

But he wasn’t about to let his team get carried away. Rosenior saw some cracks in the second half and didn’t hide his frustration. “No disrespect to Wolves—they had a good second half and made things tricky for us. But to be honest, a lot of their chances came from us being sloppy. We gave the ball away too easily. In the first half, we were sharp and moved it well, but we need to tidy that up.”

Still, Rosenior couldn’t hide his satisfaction with the three points. “That first half, it was exactly what you want from an away performance. We pressed well, used the ball brilliantly, and put ourselves in control. In the second half, we let our standards drop. The pitch was heavy; the rain didn’t help, but both teams had to deal with it. In the end, it’s a great three points away from home.”

He also pointed out how the team settled after a lively start from Wolves. “We started keeping the ball, found our rhythm, and once we got into attacking positions, we looked really good. I’m delighted for Cole—there’s been a lot of chatter about him, but he looked happy out there with his three goals. We probably could’ve scored more in the first half, so there’s room to grow.”

He finished with a note of caution: “There’s a lot to be positive about, but I want us focused on improving. We’ve got Leeds coming up on Tuesday, and that’s not going to be easy.”

On the other side, Cole Palmer couldn’t say enough good things about Rosenior. “Life under Liam is amazing. He lets us play with freedom and gives us confidence. I’m still not back to being 100% fit, but when I am, people will see the best of me. Liam and the coaches, the way they work with us – it’s just really enjoyable.”

Even after his hat-trick, Palmer admitted he’s still not quite firing on all cylinders. “It felt great to get a few goals and help the team, but I know I’m not fully fit yet. Most people don’t see what goes on behind the scenes, but I’ve been dealing with an injury all season. I’m managing it, and I’m hoping to be over it soon. Once I’m back to full fitness, I know I can hit another level. Even now, I feel like I can help the team, but there’s definitely more to come when I’m 100%.”