Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has confirmed that Cole Palmer is fit to start Sunday’s Premier League clash at Stamford Bridge, marking his return after more than two months on the sidelines.
Palmer has not featured for the Blues since September 20, initially due to a groin issue before later suffering a fractured toe. But Maresca told reporters at his pre-match press conference, as quoted by AFP, that the 23-year-old is finally ready to rejoin the starting lineup.
“Everyone is happy, his teammates are happy, we are all happy — and the most important thing is that Cole is happy because, in the end, football players want to play games,” Maresca said.
A victory on Sunday would move second-placed Chelsea within three points of league leaders Arsenal.
Palmer was Chelsea’s top scorer in the Premier League last season with 15 goals but has managed just four appearances in all competitions this campaign, scoring twice.
“He is probably our best player,” Maresca added. “We are happy that he is back. Now we need to give him time to be 100 percent fit. But he has done fantastic in the past, and there is no doubt he will do very well for this club in the future.”
Chelsea fans are also buzzing after 18-year-old Brazilian sensation Estevao scored a brilliant solo goal in the 3–0 Champions League win over Barcelona on Tuesday. Maresca admitted that the prospect of combining Palmer and Estevao in attack is “exciting.”
“It depends on the team we face and the game plan, but for sure the fans are excited to watch both together,” he said. “We are excited too, but we must always maintain balance.”
Maresca, who won both the UEFA Conference League and Club World Cup in his debut season at Chelsea, said the team has improved significantly over the past year but insisted it is too early to talk about a title race.
“For sure it’s different compared to one year ago because we’ve spent one more year together,” he said. “We learned from difficult moments. But for me, it’s still very early. What matters is where we are in March or April — then we will see.”
