Cole Palmer is out - Enzo Maresca drops team news ahead of Fulham clash

Head coach Enzo Maresca has confirmed that Cole Palmer will miss Chelsea’s Premier League fixture against Fulham following an injury setback.

The 23-year-old forward was named in the starting XI against West Ham United last Friday but withdrew during the warm-up. He watched from the sidelines as the Blues secured a convincing 5-1 victory at the London Stadium.

Palmer’s absence was further highlighted on Thursday as he was left out of Thomas Tuchel’s England squad, with his recovery still being assessed on a day-to-day basis.

At his pre-match press conference, Maresca also ruled out Romeo Lavia and Benoît Badiashile, both of whom are not expected back until after the international break.

“Cole is out, Benoit is out, and Romeo is out. The rest are all okay,” Maresca told journalists at Cobham.

He added, “Cole we need to see day by day, and the other two I don’t think are going to be back after the international break.”

In Palmer’s absence, Estevao Willian started against West Ham, joining Joao Pedro and Liam Delap in attack. Maresca hinted that he will once again turn to alternative options for the west London derby against Fulham.

“For sure, 100 per cent, we are a much better team with Cole, no doubt. But when Cole is not in the game, we need to find different solutions,” Maresca admitted.

Chelsea will aim to continue their strong start under Maresca despite the injury setbacks. With Palmer’s return timeline uncertain, the Blues will rely on squad depth to maintain momentum heading into the international break.