Enzo Maresca provides concerning update about Cole Palmer

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has confirmed that star midfielder Cole Palmer is still playing through pain from a lingering groin injury as the Blues prepare to face Everton in the Premier League.

The 23-year-old’s fitness has become a growing concern for Chelsea’s medical staff, who are treading carefully to avoid aggravating the problem further.

Palmer’s injury woes began in September, when he was forced off during Chelsea’s defeat to Manchester United with a groin issue.

What was initially expected to be a minor setback turned into a long-term struggle, sidelining the England international for some time.

Cole Palmer has been unlucky with injuries

Just as he neared a return to full fitness, Palmer suffered a freak accident at home, fracturing his toe and delaying his comeback yet again.

The combination of setbacks has disrupted his momentum after a strong start to the campaign, where he quickly established himself as one of Maresca’s key creative outlets.

‘With Cole, it’s just a matter of the more players you have that are good, the team is better,’ said Maresca, as reported by Metro.

‘In terms of the mixed feeling, he had a session with us, overall he was fine, but still it was a little bit painful.

‘He was feeling some pain in his groin. It’s something we need to monitor. Hopefully it won’t be for the full season, but it’s something that is a little bit day-by-day. You can see it is getting better and then some days it can be worse.

‘For instance, after Leeds it was completely bad the day after and he played half an hour. After Bournemouth it was okay and he played one hour. So there is not any sense to it, but it is the day-by-day that decides how he feels.

‘At the moment, absolutely he is in that group that can’t start every game.’

Chelsea face crucial fixtures in coming weeks

Palmer’s return, even at partial fitness, could provide a much-needed boost as the club looks to reignite their push for a top-four finish.

Chelsea’s medical staff are closely monitoring Palmer’s workload, knowing the risk of recurrence remains high.

With crucial fixtures on the horizon, including Premier League clashes against Newcastle United and Aston Villa, the club must find the right balance between short-term gains and long-term fitness.

Fans will be wondering how to buy tickets for the Newcastle United vs Chelsea match next week, an encounter that promises to be a crucial one for the Blues and their chances of keeping pace with Premier League high flyers Arsenal and Manchester City.

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