Palmer had been eager to make an impact following a subdued performance in the season opener against Crystal Palace and was included in Enzo Maresca’s revamped front line, featuring Liam Delap as the central striker and Joao Pedro on the flank. ..Continue Reading
However, just before kickoff, Palmer was seen exiting the warm-up prematurely, and it was later confirmed he would miss the match due to injury, with Willian Estevao stepping in to take his place.
Despite Chelsea’s dominant showing, losing a key creative force like Palmer for an extended spell would be a setback—but early signs suggest the issue may not be serious.
After the match, Maresca revealed that Palmer had been dealing with fitness concerns throughout the week, hinting that the decision to rest him was precautionary.
“Cole, in the last four or five days, was not 100%. Today, he tried to warm up, but he felt something,” the Italian revealed.
“So, we prefer not to take any risk to get worse, and we’ll see now in the next hours if it’s something important or not. Probably (for the) Palace game he was not 100%.
“But he is trying to make a big effort for the club, for the team, for the fans. Because he is really keen about the team. Tonight, again, he tried again. But it was not very good.”
It was later revealed that Palmer was dealing with a groin issue, prompting Physio Scout to provide a potential diagnosis on social media.
The expert wrote that: “Groins are one of the most commonly injured areas for footballers, as they facilitate repetitive kicking actions.”
They later explained that if the issue is merely a minor groin tightness, the England international could be back in action for Chelsea’s upcoming home clash against Fulham.
However, should the injury turn out to be more severe—such as a significant muscle strain—his recovery timeline could stretch from one to three weeks. That would likely rule him out of the international fixtures and the away game at Brentford.
In that scenario, he’d be facing a tight deadline to regain fitness in time for Chelsea’s visit to Manchester United at Old Trafford on September 20.
