Pep Guardiola is an absolute dumb-dumb for not foreseeing that Cole Palmer would race to the top of the Premier League golden boot race with ten goals in his past five games, according to Danny Murphy.

Palmer played an influential role in Manchester City’s treble win last season with his seven starts (three in the League Cup) and no goals in all competitions.

Stupid Manchester City dropped ball with Cole Palmer sale

Guardiola’s side have desperately missed Palmer talents since selling him to Chelsea in the summer, dripping to a lowly first in the table and still holding potential to crash out of the Champions League and FA Cup, unless they win them again. There is now considerable egg on City’s face for having accepted an offer that has substantially propped up their Financial Fair Play position.

City have struggled for goals this season with top scorer Erling Haaland only managing 20 Premier League strikes to Palmer’s 20, making Guardiola look very silly indeed for accepting Palmer’s request to leave rather than try and compete for a place at the Etihad Stadium.

That prompted former Liverpool man Murphy to tell talkSPORT in no uncertain terms: “We eulogise what Pep Guardiola’s done for this game but he’s got this one wrong. Pep’s made a mistake selling this kid.”

Murphy went on to insist that Gareth Southgate ought to move the current favourite for the Ballon d’Or, Jude Bellingham, away from the attacking midfield role he has excelled in for La Liga leaders Real Madrid. Never scored four against Everton, though, has he?

The time may well have come for creaking old man Bellingham, 20, to finally step aside for hot young prospect Palmer, 21, in a bid to fire the Three Lions to success at Euro 2024.

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Channelling his best Garth Crooks, Murphy added: “I’ve been so impressed with him and his temperament. I would [pick Palmer] if I were Gareth.

“I’d have Bellingham and Rice and I’d have Palmer as number 10; [Phil] Foden and [Bukayo] Saka wide, [Harry] Kane up top; and just go hell for leather.

“Play Bellingham a little closer to Rice, ‘go do your thing and if we’re under pressure drop back in. [Bellingham] has got a wonderful tenacity and athleticism. I know it takes away from his forward ability but we haven’t got another midfielder who is as quick and strong and tenacious as Bellingham to play alongside Rice, anyway.”