Cole Palmer injury update: Chelsea star ruled out for up to three weeks
Palmer will not play until mid-October at the earliest
Chelsea playmaker Cole Palmer will miss the next two to three weeks with a troublesome groin injury.
Blues boss Enzo Maresca confirmed the news at his press conference this morning, ahead of tomorrow’s home game with Brighton.
He said: “We decided to protect Cole a little bit, in terms of [making sure it doesn’t] get worse. We have decided to rest him for the next two to three weeks until the international break, just to see if with that rest he can recover to 100 per cent.”
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Rest rather than op for Palmer
Palmer has been struggling with the injury for several weeks but returned for the Champions League defeat at Bayern Munich and retained his place for the trip to Manchester United last Saturday but lasted just 20 minutes before coming off.
It had been suggested Chelsea were considering an operation for Palmer but Maresca said that was not an option, at this stage.
The Italian added: “I don’t think he needs surgery. It’s a matter of managing his pain in his groin, with the amount of games, it is something that can happen. We have decided to be a little bit conservative with him.”
Which games will Palmer miss?
Chelsea have a packed schedule and Palmer could miss three club games.
Chelsea v Brighton (Sep 27)
Chelsea v Benfica (Sep 30)
Chelsea v Liverpool (Oct 4)
He is also unlikely to be involved in England’s October doubleheader.
England v Wales (Oct 9)
Latvia v England (Oct 14)
If all goes to plan, the 23-year-old could return for Chelsea’s Premier League trip to Nottingham Forest on October 18.