What Cole Palmer did to Chelsea star speaks volumes as Xabi Alonso discovers new undroppable

In the end it was routine - like a training session at times in the additional minutes - but at one stage, it looked as if it was going to be anything but that for Chelsea against Manchester United at Stamford Bridge. As the sun covered a surprisingly warm west London on Halloween, a mistake-ridden first half for the Blues threatened to turn the atmosphere toxic in SW6. Xabi Alonso needed a response from his players after back-to-back defeats to Tottenham and Liverpool earlier in the week and in the first half, there were indications that it was going to…