Predictions
Chelsea have been dealt another injury setback after manager Enzo Maresca confirmed that star midfielder Cole Palmer has broken a toe in an unexpected domestic accident.
Palmer had been close to returning from a persistent groin issue, but the freak mishap—believed to have happened when he caught his toe on a door at his home in Surrey—will now force him to miss several key fixtures.
Speaking ahead of Chelsea’s trip to Burnley, Maresca revealed the extent of the problem.
“He is probably not available for tomorrow, for sure Barcelona, for sure Arsenal,” the Italian said. “Unfortunately he had an accident at home with his toe. But it’s nothing important. For sure he is not back next week.”
Maresca confirmed that the toe is fractured:
“The only thing we know is he is not available for this week and next week.”
The Chelsea manager added that he last saw Palmer in the dressing room without socks or flip-flops, noting that the 23-year-old was not limping but cautioned that a fracture in the small toe can be extremely painful.
Limited Involvement This Season
Palmer has endured a frustrating campaign so far, managing only four appearances across all competitions. In the Premier League, he has featured just 145 minutes. His last outing came as a substitute in September’s 2–1 defeat to Manchester United, where he was withdrawn after only 21 minutes.
Chelsea had hoped he would return before the end of the month, but the latest injury means he has now missed 16 matches this season.
Some Positive Injury News for Chelsea
Despite the setback, Maresca did provide some encouragement.
Pedro Neto, Enzo Fernández, and Benoît Badiashile are all expected to be available for the trip to Burnley.
Neto recently withdrew from the Portugal squad that suffered a shock defeat to the Republic of Ireland in Dublin during the international break, but he has been cleared to feature.
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