Cole Palmer Sidelined Longer After Bizarre Home Accident Rocks Recovery

Chelsea have suffered another Cole Palmer blow after it was revealed that a "domestic incident" will keep the Blues' star player sidelined for a minimum of three upcoming matches.

Palmer has recently overcome a persistent groin problem that restricted him to just 235 minutes combined across Premier League and Champions League fixtures this campaign.

Chelsea are set to face Burnley in Premier League action this weekend, before a Champions League clash with Barcelona, followed by a London rivalry match against Arsenal shortly thereafter. Enzo Maresca has indicated that Palmer will miss all three encounters.

"He is definitely unavailable for tomorrow [versus Burnley], Barcelona certainly, and Arsenal definitely," Maresca informed the media. "Regrettably, he experienced a household mishap where he injured his toe. It's nothing serious, but he won't return within the coming week.

"He was nearly ready [for a comeback]. He had almost recovered from the groin issue, which is excellent news, but now he faces this minor setback. [His toe] has a fracture."

Palmer reportedly injured the toe on his left foot after striking it against a door within his residence.

His earliest possible return could be December 3, when Chelsea make the journey north to Elland Road for their fixture against Leeds United. However, there's no certainty, as when Maresca was questioned about Palmer's return timeline, the Italian manager responded: "Uncertain."

Chelsea Matches Cole Palmer Has Already Sat Out This Season

The talented forward accumulated 74 goals and assists during his initial two seasons at Chelsea after what was considered a somewhat unexpected £42.5 million ($55.5 million) transfer from Manchester City, and represents a significant absence for a Blues squad that might otherwise believe they can compete with Arsenal for the summit.

Chelsea presently occupy third position in the Premier League standings, trailing the Gunners by six points, while they sit 12th in the Champions League table at the midpoint of the league stage.

Football's Most Unusual Non-Playing Injuries

Most football injuries occur during actual gameplay, whether in matches or training sessions. Stubbing a toe against a door represents a fairly ordinary mishap, but early 1990s Chelsea goalkeeper Dave Beasant managed to cause considerable harm when a salad cream jar dropped onto his foot—he was allegedly attempting to prevent it from breaking after accidentally knocking it over.

Darren Barnard, another ex-Chelsea player, was sidelined for five months during his time at Barnsley after slipping on a pool of his dog's urine in the kitchen.

During the mid-1990s, young Liverpool keeper Michael Stensgaard dislocated his shoulder while lifting an ironing board, just one incident in a series of recurring issues that required surgical intervention and ultimately ended his prospects of a top-level career.

Similar to Beasant's case, Valencia's Santiago Cañizares lost his opportunity to feature for Spain at a World Cup when an cologne bottle cut tendons in his foot in 2002.

In 2017, Real Madrid prospect Marco Asensio developed an infected spot from shaving his legs.