Chelsea star Cole Palmer could make his return from a groin injury this weekend, with Enzo Maresca confirming the midfielder will undergo a late fitness test before Saturday’s trip to Brentford. The England international has missed the Blues’ last two matches but was pictured in training this week, raising hopes of a much-needed comeback in the west London derby.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Palmer has been sidelined with a groin issue that forced him to miss Chelsea’s recent games and withdraw from England duty. While the midfielder is edging closer to full recovery, Maresca stressed that no decision will be made until the final training session. Palmer has been doing partial sessions, but his condition will dictate whether he plays.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportWHAT MARESCA SAID
Speaking to the media on Friday morning, Maresca said: "Cole took part in a session yesterday for the first time – but not the entire session. Today in the afternoon, we have one more session, and we are going to try with him and see if he is ok. Otherwise, he will be out tomorrow again.
"He had an injury, but he has recovered from the injury. So it wasn't about managing him; it was him recovering from the injury. From the moment he is available, we have to think about how to manage him a little bit because of the amount of games [we have coming]."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Chelsea have been dealing with a mounting injury crisis, with Levi Colwill sidelined long-term and Dario Essugo facing surgery. However, there was some good news with Benoit Badiashile and Romeo Lavia returning to training. Palmer’s availability could provide a major boost for Maresca, who has struggled to find consistency in attack.
Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR PALMER?
Chelsea will travel to face Brentford on Saturday, with Palmer’s involvement likely to be decided just before kick-off. The Blues remain hopeful of welcoming more players back over the coming weeks as they look to climb the Premier League table.
