Enzo Maresca has shed light on why Cole Palmer was absent from Chelsea’s 1-0 defeat against Arsenal on Sunday, assuring fans that the midfielder is expected to return after the international break.
Cole Palmer has been a key figure for Chelsea this season, rarely missing a game.
Coincidentally, the last Premier League match he missed was also against Arsenal at the Emirates last April, when Chelsea suffered a heavy 5-0 defeat.
Heading into the Arsenal clash, Palmer had been directly involved in 20 of Chelsea’s 53 goals this season.
However, he was going through a seven-game goal drought in the league, which included a missed penalty in his last Premier League outing.
Speaking to “Sky Sports” before kickoff, Chelsea’s coach explained that Palmer had been dealing with illness and picked up a minor injury in training.
“He’s not in the toilet, for sure!” Maresca joked. “He had, as we know, last week some problems [with illness]. And unfortunately yesterday he had a very small problem. We think, after the international break, he will be back with us.
“He had an injury yesterday during the session. It was a very light session. That’s why we think it is nothing important. But we wait and the feeling is he will be back after the next international break.”
Cole Palmer had been named in England’s squad for upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia.
When asked if the midfielder would miss national team duty, Maresca confirmed: “For sure, because he is injured and he didn’t play today.”
