Cole Palmer sidelined with broken toe
Cole Palmer will not be available for Chelsea for the foreseeable future, with Blues boss Enzo Maresca confirming the England international has suffered a broken toe at home following a freak accident, reports BritPanorama.
The forward has not appeared for the west London club since their 2-1 loss to Manchester United in September. Ahead of Saturday’s match against Burnley at Turf Moor, Maresca has ruled out Palmer’s participation.
In a pre-match press conference, the Italian manager stated, “He is probably not available for tomorrow for sure, Barcelona for sure or Arsenal for sure. Unfortunately, he had an accident at home where he hit his toe.”
Maresca elaborated that Palmer sustained the injury during a visit to the toilet in the middle of the night. “It is nothing important, but he won’t be back in the next week,” he added. The manager noted the circumstance is unfortunate, saying, “I wake up many times in the night to go to the toilet, I hit my head and leg and everything. It can happen.”
For Chelsea, Palmer’s absence is significant. The England international has made a mark since joining from Manchester City during the summer transfer window of 2023, proving to be a key player. Chelsea comes into their match against Burnley seeking redemption after suffering an unexpected 2-1 defeat to Sunderland before the international break.
With considerable financial investments made in recent years, Maresca faces increasing pressure to maximise the potential of his squad. However, there is some positive news regarding player fitness. Moises Caicedo returned from international duty without issues, while Benoit Badiashile, Enzo Fernandez, and Pedro Neto are all fit for selection.
Maresca confirmed, “Moi came back last night. I haven’t seen him yet but I’ve been told he’s okay and he will train today. Benoit is back and he’s available for tomorrow, which is very good news for us. Enzo and Pedro used the international break to recover from the little issues they had and recover the energy levels. They are both okay and available for tomorrow’s game.”
Meanwhile, Burnley manager Scott Parker expressed optimism about former Chelsea star Armando Broja, who was substituted during Albania’s defeat to England last weekend. Parker noted, “I’m hoping that Armando will be available for the weekend. Everything that’s come back seemed really positive.”
As the season progresses, Chelsea’s dynamic around their squad will be tested, particularly as injuries arise. The upcoming matches will surely provide a challenging landscape for Maresca’s tactics and strategy, reflecting the finely balanced dance between recovery and competition inherent in the rigours of top-flight football.
