Chelsea Boss Maresca Drops Bombshell on Palmer's Fitness as Sanchez Breaks Silence on Controversial Red Card
Enzo Maresca had to abandon his tactical blueprint during Saturday's defeat to Manchester United following Robert Sánchez's dismissal in the opening five minutes, which compelled the Italian manager to make numerous adjustments.
The situation deteriorated further when Cole Palmer required an early substitution. While some observers believed this might have been another impulsive tactical switch after Maresca pulled both Estêvão and Pedro Neto to introduce Filip Jörgensen and Tosin Adarabioyo, the coach disclosed post-match that Palmer continues to battle a groin problem sustained during warm-ups earlier this campaign against West Ham United.
"Cole attempted it this morning. He underwent a fitness assessment for this match, he wasn't completely ready," Maresca explained following the contest. "He made an incredible commitment to feature in this game despite not being 100%. Indeed, it's an issue he's been dealing with for an extended period, his groin. He was determined to participate for the squad, but after 20 minutes he began experiencing discomfort so we chose to substitute him."
Palmer did participate in the midweek Champions League fixture, netting on his 100th appearance as Maresca attempts to carefully handle his key player's condition going forward.
Chelsea surrendered two goals while playing with ten players, though Casemiro's dismissal provided the Blues with renewed hope. Trevoh Chalobah pulled one back during the second period, but the effort proved insufficient as they suffered their inaugural Premier League defeat of the new campaign.
Robert Sánchez Responds to Dismissal, Issues Apology to Chelsea Fans
Sánchez shared a message on Instagram following the match, expressing regret for his error at Old Trafford: "My fault today guys, huge apology for that, team showed tremendous fight in the second half but couldn't complete the comeback."
The Spanish shot-stopper found himself stranded when Bryan Mbeumo attempted to reach a threatening pass in the attacking zone. Sánchez charged forward, failed to connect with the ball and collided with Mbeumo as Peter Bankes immediately reached for his card. Television footage captured Maresca's reaction to the incident—the moment Sánchez made contact with Mbeumo, the Italian spun around apparently anticipating the outcome.
Sánchez created unwelcome records in the process, becoming the quickest Chelsea player to receive a red card during the Premier League period. His ejection also ranks as the third-swiftest goalkeeper dismissal in the competition's history.
Filip Jörgensen is expected to deputize for his suspended colleague with a chance to showcase his abilities on Tuesday in the Carabao Cup fixture against Lincoln City.