Enzo Maresca has provided an update on Cole Palmer ahead of Chelsea’s clash against Liverpool. The Blues will be without some big names when they face Arne Slot’s side at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon.
Speaking to reporters at Cobham on Friday morning (via football.london) the Chelsea boss confirmed that as many as eight players could miss the highly-anticipated match. Maresca said: “Cole is still out. We have Trev [Chalobah] suspended. Seven or eight players out for tomorrow’s game.”
Palmer was forced to come off during the first half of the west London outfit’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester United due to a groin injury. The 23-year-old midfielder has missed each of Chelsea’s last three games as he looks to rebuild his fitness.
When pressed for an update on Palmer’s recovery, Maresca kept his cards close to his chest. The Italian replied: “I don’t have any update at the moment. We have a meeting this week.”
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With the England international unavailable for selection, Maresca could be inclined to start Estevao Willian. On whether the teenage sensation could feature in a central role, the Chelsea boss said: “We consider all of our players to give them minutes in all positions.
“Estevao reminds me a lot of Cole when Cole was with me in the under-23s at [Manchester] City. Cole’s path has been similar to Estevao’s path in terms of starting wide as a winger and then slowly you can move inside. In the Premier League, if you want to play in the middle, you need to be physically prepared.”
Liverpool have lost each of their last two games, losing 2-1 to Crystal Palace last weekend and losing 1-0 to Galatasaray on Tuesday night. On whether it’s a good time to play the Reds, Maresca said: “I don’t think now it is better to play Liverpool.
“It is always a tough game, always a big team. The way they are doing this season is in any case, fantastic, especially after the [Diogo] Jota tragedy. I lived the exact same when I was a player 20 years ago, it is not easy for the players or manager.
“You have to be very strong. This is the reason why for me they are doing, not good, but better than good because dealing with a problem like this is not easy.”
Last season, Chelsea stormed past Liverpool at Stamford Bridge, wheeling away 3-1 victors. At Anfield, the Blues lost 2-1. Maresca added: “Every game is different.
“We are going to try and prepare the game in the best way possible. Even if they have dropped points, they have shown the reason why they won the Premier League.”
