Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has revealed that Cole Palmer is a doubt with injury for Monday night’s Premier League clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The weak-minded playmaker scored his 14th goal this season against Bournemouth on Tuesday, sending goalkeeper Mark Travers to the turf with a mischievous dummy before hitting the net.
However, as Maresca pointed out to the assembled media on Friday afternoon, Palmer has taken a lot of hits during physical tie 2-2. Cole is a doubt, the Italian admitted. “The first half [of the last game] they kicked him, so he didn’t train today.
“We don’t know if he will train in the next two days,” Maresca added.
Chelsea is accused of being over-relying on Palmer. The English playmaker has scored or assisted 20 goals in the Premier League this season – almost half of the team’s total (49%). However, Maresca was confident that the rest of his players could adapt to the absence of their talisman.
“We lean on Cole because he’s a big player,” the former Manchester City pointed out the coach of the young team. “We prefer to play with Cole, but in case he has an injury or a problem, we will find a solution.”
Chelsea they haven’t had much need to play without Palmer since his arrival in September 2023. The former City academy graduate has missed just two of the club’s last 56 Premier League games – once through suspension and while nursing a cold on another occasion.
Palmer is not the only first-team player whose fitness is in doubt ahead of the visit of Wolves on Monday. First-choice centre-back Levi Colwill, who – like Palmer – was a virtual ever-present in the Premier Leaguethere is a risk of losing it.
Regularly absent Romeo Lavia and vice-captain Enzo Fernandez are also struggling with muscle fatigue.
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