Chelsea will have to cope without Cole Palmer for at least the next six weeks, but Glenn Hoddle has stressed that the England star’s injury could become an issue from then on.
Chelsea have been warned that Cole Palmer’s groin injury could keep him out longer than expected after manager Enzo Maresca revealed he will be out for a further six weeks.
Palmer, 23, has not played for the Blues since September 20 as he continues to suffer from a groin problem. The England star was again sidelined as Chelsea beat Nottingham Forest 3-0 on Saturday, but is unlikely to return any time soon as he struggles to shake off issues that first surfaced at the Club World Cup in the summer.
Maresca has already reassured Chelsea fans that Palmer will continue to be sidelined, but Glenn Hoddle has warned that the groin injury is particularly bothersome and could mean the former Manchester City star’s absence is even longer.
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“He’s a top quality player. He’s a player that will be talked about in England because he can be 10th on the fitness scale,” Hoddle told TNT Sports before Saturday’s match. “But groin problems are a big problem. I had them when I was younger and it took me a long time to recover.
“With the groin soreness, you never know when you’re going to be perfect until you actually go out and play. That’s the problem. But they still have talent.”
Maresca admitted in Friday’s press conference that he had been misleading about Palmer in previous comments about the attacking midfielder’s injury schedule. “I was wrong (about Palmer). Unfortunately he has to be out for another six weeks.
“We’re doing our best to protect Cole as much as possible. The most important thing is that he’s at his best when he comes back.
“Our medical team is not a miracle worker. We hope six weeks is enough. We have to take it one step at a time. But rest assured, he will be fine.”
Fortunately for the Blues, they were able to do without their star man on Saturday against Nottingham Forest with goals from Josh Achiampong, Pedro Neto and Reece James. The 3-0 win was a fatal blow for manager Ange Postecoglou, who was unceremoniously sacked less than 20 minutes after the final whistle.
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