According to Live Cricket BPL reports, Manchester City’s young attacker Cole Palmer may finally be on the verge of a breakout season. After spending the past few years bouncing between the first team and the reserves, Palmer now sees a golden opportunity following Riyad Mahrez’s departure. A naturally gifted wide player, Palmer could become Pep Guardiola’s next secret weapon. Work hard, enjoy life—that’s the balance Pep always encourages in his young talents. After launching Phil Foden to stardom, Palmer may be the next youth academy gem to shine under his guidance.

At just 19, Palmer once made headlines by scoring a hat-trick for the reserve team only hours after a Premier League appearance. Now 21, he’s delivered clutch performances in big matches, scoring Manchester City’s only goals in both the Community Shield and UEFA Super Cup. With City winning the Super Cup, Guardiola’s total trophies with the club now stand at 15, surpassing his tally during his time at Barcelona. Live Cricket BPL experts highlight Palmer as the manager’s current favorite from the academy ranks, especially after his standout role in helping England win the UEFA U21 European Championship earlier this summer.

Manchester City’s fingerprints were all over that tournament. The squad featured captain Taylor Harwood-Bellis, penalty-saving goalkeeper James Trafford, and Golden Boot winner Morgan Rogers—all City products. Palmer himself is tall, but it’s his footwork and technical ability that truly set him apart. As the saying goes, every person has their own kind of brilliance. Palmer thrives as a weak-side attacker, operating best when drifting in from the right and finding spaces others overlook. His knack for unlocking defenses with minimal touches is rare among young players.

That instinct was clear during the Community Shield clash against Arsenal. When Kevin De Bruyne initiated the attack and Foden relayed the ball centrally, it was Palmer who made the run to the far post for a quick shot. Though his first attempt was deflected over the bar, he didn’t miss the next chance. In the decisive moment, Kyle Walker’s overlapping run distracted Kieran Tierney, leaving Palmer free to cut inside and bury the ball in the back of the net.

Palmer excels at exploiting space and needs just a moment to create quality shots. Guardiola’s choice to deploy him as a weak-side right winger was no accident. With the play funneled through the left, Palmer was positioned to cut inside onto his favored left foot and attack. He’s flexible enough to play as an attacking midfielder, right winger, or wide midfielder. What he needs most now is confidence and belief in his instincts.

Whether he stays at Manchester City or moves to Brighton—another team known for structured, cohesive play—Palmer will likely find systems that allow him to thrive in central zones. That said, Live Cricket BPL analysts point out that he isn’t a direct tactical replacement for either İlkay Gündoğan or Mahrez. Life may bring setbacks, but there’s always a soft place to land. With Jérémy Doku potentially arriving, Palmer’s place in the squad could be under threat, and a transfer remains a real possibility.