Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has confirmed that Cole Palmer will probably return from the English squad for the upcoming qualification games against Albania and Latvia.
Palmer was missing from the Premier League defeat on Sunday against Arsenal, but more worrying is Maresca, who described the injury as a “muscular problem”.
“I don’t think his injury came from [Saturday’s] Meeting, “said Maresca when he was asked about Palmer’s chances to report this week for international service.
However, the apparent cloud gives a silver silver strip.
Palmer fought for shape and did not achieve a Premier League for two months, so that a small injury – Maresca did not point to something particularly serious – could even offer an upward trend.
“We do not want a player injury, but in Cole’s case it is mentally and physically quiet. So it could be good,” said the Chelsea boss.
Nottingham Forest star Morgan Gibbs-White has already been added to the English squad, Thomas Tuchel’s first since his appointment of a constant successor by Gareth Southgate, in view of the expectation that Palmer will soon be officially withdrawn.
With Nicolas Jackson and Noni Madueke, who is already out, Chelsea trouble finding a reliable gate while Palmer was his usual game. Remarkably, defenders have scored three of the last five goals of the club’s Premier League, whereby the blues could hardly put a glove on Arsenal.
The Gunners also fought to create in a dreary London derby, but Mikel Areteta’s team rediscovered the skills and had to thank the emergency striker Mikel Merino to ensure that he had scored the only goal of the game with a header from a corner.