Cole Palmer's Shocking Absence: The Real Reason Chelsea's Star Misses Crystal Palace Clash
Cole Palmer's troubled season received another setback as he was ruled out of Chelsea's visit to Crystal Palace on Sunday.
The England star has struggled with fitness problems since last summer's exhausting Club World Cup. Before Chelsea's success in Gianni Infantino's controversial tournament, Palmer had only missed three of 73 Premier League games for the Blues. Sunday's unavailability marked the 11th league fixture he has been sidelined for this campaign.
Palmer was absent from the Chelsea squad that secured a hard-fought Champions League win against Pafos during the week. However, Liam Rosenior dismissed that exclusion as merely precautionary due to a "minor" concern.
Chelsea's new manager suggested that Palmer had "a really good chance" to feature in this weekend's journey to Selhurst Park, but fortune has not smiled upon him.
Chelsea Confirmed Lineup vs. Crystal Palace (4-2-3-1)
Chelsea Confirmed Lineup vs. Crystal Palace (4-2-3-1)
Starting XI: Robert Sánchez; Reece James, Trevoh Chalobah, Benoît Badiashile, Marc Cucurella; Andrey Santos, Moisés Caicedo; Estêvão, Enzo Fernández, Pedro Neto; João Pedro.
Substitutes: Teddy Sharman-Lowe (GK), Josh Acheampong, Wesley Fofana, Malo Gusto, Jorrel Hato, Alejandro Garnacho, Jamie Gittens, Liam Delap, Marc Guiu.
What Injury Does Cole Palmer Have?
What Injury Does Cole Palmer Have?
In Rosenior's ultimately incorrect injury assessment, he disclosed that Palmer was experiencing "a little bit of tightness in his thigh" following last weekend's victory over Brentford. The same problem has continued.
The 23-year-old was surprisingly permitted to complete the entire 90 minutes against the Bees, though he marked his late spot-kick with nothing more elaborate than touching his ear.
This sparked widespread conjecture about his future in west London, with unfounded reports of homesickness quickly dismissed by Rosenior, who praised Palmer as "very, very happy to be here" earlier this week.
"There was disappointment in the Brentford match—not because he isn't content here, but because he couldn't deliver at the standard he desires for the club," the new coach clarified, disclosing that Palmer has been "in pain" during games.
When Will Cole Palmer Be Fit Again?
When Will Cole Palmer Be Fit Again?
This remains the key question. Palmer was observed in training sessions leading up to Chelsea's London derby, indicating that the problem isn't too serious.
The Blues face a challenging Champions League encounter against defending Serie A champions Napoli next Wednesday, and there is optimism within the club that he will be ready for that vital match, according to BBC Sport's Nizaar Kinsella.
Palmer has featured in just one Champions League game this season, finding the net in Chelsea's 3–1 loss to Bayern Munich in September. The Blues currently occupy a top-eight position—which secures direct progression to the round of 16, bypassing the demanding two-leg playoff round—but only by goal difference.
Teams from Paris Saint-Germain in sixth place down to Atalanta in 13th are all level on 13 points.