Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has confirmed in his pre-Brighton press conference that Cole Palmer will not feature again until after the upcoming international break, as the playmaker continues to battle a persistent groin issue.
The 23-year-old has been managing the problem since the second league fixture of the campaign, completing a full 90 minutes on only one occasion in the Premier League this season. His struggles came to a head last weekend when he had to be withdrawn just 21 minutes into the 2-1 loss against Manchester United.
Rather than gamble on aggravating the issue, Maresca has opted to give Palmer an extended break, making it clear that protecting the midfielder’s long-term fitness is the priority.
‘We decided to protect a little bit Cole in terms of his injuries not getting worse,’ the Italian explained during his pre-match media duties. ‘We decided to rest him for the next two or three weeks before the international break to see if he can recover 100% and be fully fit from the international break.’
That decision comes as a setback for supporters, with Palmer now certain to miss important league outings against Brighton and Liverpool, as well as Chelsea’s Champions League clash against Benfica.
Blow
Palmer’s impact at Chelsea is impossible to ignore, with the England international producing 58 goal involvements across 98 Premier League matches.
The head coach has openly acknowledged that the Blues are a more formidable unit with Palmer on the pitch, but he insists that solutions must be found when the playmaker is unavailable.
Speaking to Sky Sports last week, Maresca explained,
‘We need him, no doubt. With Cole we are a better team. But when Cole is not available, we need to find solutions and ways to win games. We did it against West Ham and Fulham. We were close against Brentford.’
Despite Maresca’s attempts to downplay the narrative, Chelsea’s reliance on Palmer remains evident. The 23-year-old was even rushed back from a groin injury to face United before limping off—a clear indication of the lengths the club are prepared to go to have him involved.
Tuesday night’s comeback victory away at Lincoln City in the EFL Cup third round brought an end to a frustrating three-game winless run. Yet the recent league defeat to Manchester United means the Blues are currently sixth in the table, a slim three points ahead of Brighton, who visit Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
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