Cole Palmer has suffered a brand new injury setback at Chelsea after fracturing his toe this week.
Palmer has been sidelined since September after he was forced off within the defeat against Manchester United as a result of a groin problem.
The 23-year-old was in line to return for Chelsea’s Champions League tie at home to Barcelona next Tuesday.
Nonetheless, Enzo Maresca has revealed that the midfielder will now miss Saturday’s Premier League game against Burnley, next week’s match against Barcelona and their Premier League fixture at home to Arsenal on November 30.
‘He might be not available for tomorrow needless to say, Barcelona needless to say or Arsenal needless to say,’ Enzo Maresca said on Friday.
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‘Unfortunately, he had an accident at home two days ago, he hit his toe.
‘But it surely is nothing vital but needless to say he will not be back in the following week. It’s fractured.
‘The one thing we all know he will not be available for this week and next week.
‘It will possibly occur, I can get up over and over through the night to go to the bathroom and hit my head, hit my leg, all the things can occur.’
The games Cole Palmer will miss for Chelsea
Burnley (A) | Premier League | November 22
Barcelona (H) | Champions League | November 25
Arsenal (H) | Premier League | November 30
Asked if Palmer is wearing a protective boot, Maresca replied: ‘The last time I saw him was yesterday morning and he was without socks, without flip-flops, he was without nothing. I saw him within the changing room.
‘I don’t know the way he’s today. He wasn’t limping, he was walking okay. The issue is the small toe, so the contact with the ball is just a little bit painful.’
When it was suggested that Chelsea could cope in Palmer’s absence, Maresca replied: ‘Absolutely not.
‘I don’t think that. The teammates are higher with Cole playing, I feel significantly better when Cole is contained in the pitch, and all of us want Cole on the pitch. When Cole will not be on the pitch we’ve got to search out an answer.
‘The team is doing incredible, the team is doing thoroughly, also I feel for any manager it’s nice once you miss a player but at the tip the team still plays in the best way you ought to lay. But ultimately, we’re higher with Cole.’
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