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Cole Palmer’s Injury Concerns Affect England’s World Cup Plans
Chelsea’s manager, Enzo Maresca, has indicated that forward Cole Palmer is likely to be sidelined for England’s upcoming World Cup qualifying matches against Albania and Latvia due to a muscular injury. This setback occurred during a training session, and as a result, Palmer missed Chelsea’s narrow 1-0 defeat to Arsenal on Sunday.
In the wake of this development, Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White has been called up to the England squad as a replacement. Maresca noted that this was the first Premier League match Palmer had been unavailable for since April 2024, and the prognosis for his recovery does not look promising. “I don’t think [he will be fit for England] to be honest,” Maresca stated following the match.
He elaborated that the injury was sustained during the previous day’s training, and a scan is scheduled for Monday morning to assess the severity of Palmer’s condition. Alongside Palmer, Chelsea also faced the absence of striker Nicolas Jackson and winger Noni Madueke during the game against Arsenal.
“It’s a huge difference. The three players who have the most goals for us are Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson, and Noni Madueke; none of them were on the pitch,” Maresca remarked. He pointed out that with two of those players already dealing with long-term injuries, Chelsea’s offensive capabilities have been notably affected. “It’s normal that offensively we can struggle a little bit,” he added.
Despite these challenges, Maresca emphasized that Chelsea’s attack has performed relatively well, being among the top three attacking sides in the league. He acknowledged the contributions of the remaining squad but expressed that health and availability of their injured players could significantly enhance their performance.
Palmer has played a vital role in Chelsea’s campaign this season, contributing to 20 of the team’s 53 league goals with 14 goals and six assists. However, he has not found the net in his last seven Premier League appearances. Maresca suggested that a period of rest might be beneficial for Palmer: “We don’t wish for a player’s injury, but in Cole’s case at this moment, probably giving him some rest physically and mentally could be good.”
England is gearing up to face Albania on Friday under the guidance of new head coach Thomas Tuchel, marking the beginning of their qualification journey for the 2026 World Cup, followed by a match against Latvia at Wembley Stadium.
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