Cole Palmer is nursing an injury from last Sunday (Picture: Getty Images)
Cole Palmer remains a doubt for Chelsea’s Premier League match with Arsenla on Sunday after picking up an injury against Manchester United last weekend.
The England star was the victim of a really poor challenge from Lisandro Martinez, with the Argentine going in high and catching Palmer on the knee with his studs.
Palmer finished the match, which ended 1-1, but has missed training since and Blues boss Enzo Maresca could not confirm that he will be back for Sunday.
‘Cole didn’t train yesterday. We will see today if he is able to train with us,’ the Italian told a pre-match press conference ahead of a Europa Conference League clash with Noah on Thursday.
Asked if he will make it for the meeting with the Gunners, Maresca replied: ‘We hope so. But we need to see and then decide.’
Pushed on whether it will be a risk to play him this weekend, Maresca said: ‘Yeah, for sure. We said he didn’t train the last two days. We’ll see.
‘The tackle was not a normal one. Hopefully he can be back.’
Lisandro Martinez was booked for the dangerous challenge on Cole Palmer (Picture: Getty Images)
The Chelsea manager was fuming about the challenge on Palmer after the draw at Old Trafford, insisting Martinez should have been sent-off for the foul.
The defender was shown a yellow card and VAR did not advise the referee to review the decision.
‘He was in the changing room with ice. We are waiting now. Hopefully it is nothing,’ Maresca said of Palmer on Sunday.
‘And then I know that you are going to ask me about the referee decision. They showed me before the press conference and it quite clear but the referee took a different decision.
‘It was not the intention to go for the ball. He goes for the legs. There is no doubt about the decision. I think it is quite clearly a red.’
Enzo Maresca was in no doubt Lisandro Martinez should have been sent-off (Picture: Getty Images)
Red Devils legend Roy Keane said Martinez was probably embarrassed by Palmer as he skipped past him and could easily have been shown red.
‘He won’t be happy with Cole Palmer making a fool of him, it’s a great piece of skill. And it’s a nasty tackle,’ Keane told Sky Sports.
‘He’s a lucky boy. He doesn’t catch him properly, it’s down the side of his leg. But if he got sent off I’d say no complaints.’
Palmer would be a huge loss for Chelsea if he does miss the Arsenal game, having scored seven goals in 10 Premier League games so far this season.
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