Chelsea midfielder Cole Palmer will be out until after next month’s international break as the club nurse a groin injury, manager Enzo Maresca revealed on Friday. England international Palmer, 23, is in for a short absence to allow him to recover completely before returning to competitive duties.
What Happened to Cole Palmer?
Palmer was forced to depart during the middle of the first half of Chelsea’s 2-1 loss at Manchester United last week, which was the Blues’ initial loss in the Premier League season. The gifted midfielder had also missed previous games against West Ham and Fulham because of the same groin problem. The club decided to “protect” Palmer to avoid further complications, Maresca said.
We chose to rest him for the following two or three weeks, most likely until the international break, just to see if, with that rest, he could be able to recover 100 percent and become completely fit after the international break,” Maresca stated.
Does Palmer Need Surgery?
The Chelsea coach comforted the fans that the injury is not grave enough for surgery. “It’s just a question of managing his pain in his groin, that, with the number of games, it’s something that can occur,” Maresca explained. “This is the reason why we want to be a bit conservative with him, to give him a rest. Hopefully, he can be 100 percent fit after the international break.”
Influence of Palmer’s Injury on Chelsea
Chelsea have Brighton at home on Saturday, then important home matches against Benfica and Liverpool next week. The club, though, will have a break of two weeks for international matches, which should be enough time for Palmer to recover.
Maresca also gave reports of other players who were injured. Tosin Adarabioyo will most likely be out until the international break after sustaining a calf injury, and Wesley Fofana has had a concussion in Chelsea’s midweek League Cup win over Lincoln.
Goalkeeping Worries for Chelsea After Cole Palmer Injury
Chelsea’s recent loss at Old Trafford was made worse when goalkeeper Robert Sanchez was red-carded for a wild challenge on Bryan Mbeumo. Stand-in keeper Filip Jorgensen also didn’t do well against Lincoln, although Maresca has faith in his keepers.
“Robert, for a long time, was very good with us. The end of last season and the start of this season, he was great. He had an error against Man United, I accept that. A goalkeeper is like midfielder, defender, or striker it happens. We are satisfied with Robert and Filip, both of them,” Maresca said.
