Chelsea forward Cole Palmer is likely to miss England’s upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia due to a muscular injury. The injury, which kept him out of Chelsea’s 1-0 defeat to Arsenal, will require a scan on Monday to determine its severity.
Arsenal secured the win with a well-executed header from Mikel Merino, ending a four-match winless run in the Premier League. The victory helped them close the gap on league leaders Liverpool to 12 points.
Chelsea, currently in fourth place, have played a game more than Newcastle in sixth and have struggled in away fixtures, failing to secure a win on the road since December. Palmer’s absence was notable, as the team lacked creativity in attack. Manager Enzo Maresca hopes Palmer will recover in time for Chelsea’s next fixture against Tottenham on April 3.
When asked about Palmer’s potential availability for England, Maresca expressed doubt, emphasizing that while injuries are never welcome, this period of rest could be beneficial for Palmer both physically and mentally.
Chelsea have also been dealing with the absence of key attacking players Nicolas Jackson and Noni Madueke, both of whom could return against Spurs. Maresca acknowledged that missing their top scorers had impacted their offensive capabilities, making it difficult to break down opponents.
Despite Chelsea’s struggles in front of goal, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was highly complimentary of their attacking style. He described Chelsea as the best team in the league in open play, citing their ability to create chances through combinations, transitions, and individual quality. He also pointed out that they have been missing key players, making their attacking prowess even more impressive.
While Arsenal had several chances to extend their lead, they settled for a narrow victory that keeps them within reach of the Premier League summit. Chelsea, on the other hand, will be hoping for the return of their injured stars to revive their attacking threat in the coming weeks.
