Major Cole Palmer fitness update: Enzo Maresca’s unexpected announcement on Chelsea’s star man’s availability for Arsenal clash
Enzo Maresca has declared Cole Palmer fit enough to start against Arsenal in Sunday’s first-versus-second Premier League showdown at Stamford Bridge.
Maresca needs to decide whether to throw Palmer in from the start or use him as a substitute. Either way, it is a significant boost to the Blues, especially given it was only last week when the 23-year-old Englishman fractured his little toe in an accident at home.
Asked whether Palmer could play or start on Sunday, Maresca said: ‘He’s available for both.
‘Everyone is happy. The team-mates are happy. We are all happy and the most important thing is that Cole is happy because at the end, a football player, they want to play games and make sessions every day.’
Maresca added both Palmer and Estevao Willian – Chelsea’s 18-year-old sensation from Brazil – are perfectly capable of playing together. Insisting it does not have to be one or the other, Maresca said: ‘They can play together. It depends on which team, it depends a little on the game plan, but for sure they are excited. The fans are excited to watch both together. We are also excited, thinking that at the end we need always a balance between the two phases.’
Palmer and Estevao Willian have only started together once, though that was away at Manchester United in September when Robert Sanchez was red carded within five minutes.
Cole Palmer is pictured with Estevao Willian at Chelsea vs Barcelona on Tuesday night
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has his talisman back after two months out injured
That saw Estevao Willian sacrificed to make way for second-choice goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen, while Palmer succumbed to his groin injury after 21 minutes.
Meanwhile, Dario Essugo – Moises Caicedo’s deputy – has also returned to training.
On whether Chelsea can be title contenders by beating Arsenal on Sunday, Maresca said: ’It’s too early in any case. If we win, if we don’t win, I think it’s too early. We are still at the end of November. We are still five, six months to go.
‘It’s very important where we’re going to be in February, March, where we are, and from there we decide and we see if we can achieve something important.
