The striker laid on Pedro Neto’s first and third efforts in the big FA Cup win, and also did superbly to tee up Estevao Willian at the end of a powerful run. While he did not find the scoresheet himself, Delap still played a vital hand in our success.

Here we look at the five other players to have managed the feat in the Premier League era, starting with an Italian magician…

Gianfranco Zola vs Tottenham

6 December 1997

Our 6-1 victory at White Hart Lane is still immortalised in song, and though it is Tore Andre Flo’s hat-trick that lingers longest in the memory from that special day in north London, another forward had a telling impact.

Gianfranco Zola set up Flo’s first with a left-footed cross the big Norwegian steered home, before teeing up his second – and our fourth – with a cute dink over the shellshocked Spurs defence.

Zola then slipped in youngster Mark Nicholls, who fired home number five, with Flo later completing his hat-trick – from Frank Leboeuf’s second superb assist of the afternoon – to make it a brace of trebles for Ruud Gullit’s Blues.

Didier Drogba vs Wigan

21 August 2010

A second straight 6-0 win to start the 2010/11 campaign contained three Didier Drogba assists.

The Ivorian – who had scored a hat-trick in each of our two previous league fixtures, including against the Latics when we lifted the title the season before – may not have found the net himself, but he still laid on three of our five second-half goals.

The first was a close-range cutback for Nicolas Anelka, relatively simple in its execution, but Drogba’s second and third assists were anything but, showcasing the breadth of his attacking qualities.

He skipped past his man on halfway before unselfishly laying the ball on a plate for Salomon Kalou to score, and then whipped in a teasing cross his compatriot nodded home.

Cesc Fabregas vs Bournemouth

23 April 2016

As one of the great Chelsea providers in the Premier League era, it is no surprise Cesc Fabregas features on this illustrious list.

The Spaniard set up goals for Pedro, Eden Hazard and Willian in a 4-1 win at Bournemouth in April 2016.

His perfectly-weighted through passes split the Cherries defence open for Pedro and Willian to net, while a cute backheel teed up Hazard’s 20-yard strike.

Cole Palmer vs Wolves

25 August 2024

Just 14 minutes separated Cole Palmer’s trio of assists for Noni Madueke early in the second half of a 6-2 success at Molineux.

There was an enjoyable symmetrical to each goal, as Palmer slipped in Madueke in the inside-right channel and the winger fired into the net on each occasion.

Enzo Fernandez vs Noah

7 November 2024

A record-breaking UEFA Conference League victory over Noah saw Enzo Fernandez pick up three assists in nine first-half minutes as we thumped the Armenian side 8-0.

The first two came from right-sided corners that Tosin Adarabioyo and Axel Disasi stooped to head into the Shed End net. The Argentinean then made it a triumvirate of assists when he set Joao Felix away to coolly convert.

Liam Delap vs Hull

13 February 2026

Delap owed plenty to Pedro Neto for his first assist at Hull, the Portuguese firing a pinpoint strike into the bottom corner from distance.

Delap’s contribution was significantly greater for Estevao’s goal that made it 3-0 on the night (pictured top), and the striker then did well to hold the ball and lay it off for Neto to complete his hat-trick.