Enzo Maresca has given updates on the fitness of both Cole Palmer and Jadon Sancho, with Chelsea assessing the availability of the pair ahead of their Premier League showdown with Arsenal at Stamford Bridge this Sunday.
Cole Palmer‘s situation remains uncertain with the young forward sidelined from training all week following an awful challenge from Manchester United‘s Lisandro Martinez in the dying minutes of last weekend’s match that left visible stud marks on his knee and should have resulted in a red card.
The 22-year-old was later seen limping as he left Old Trafford, raising concerns over his readiness for the derby. Concerns grew for Chelsea as the player underwent scans earlier this week.
However, speaking after Chelsea‘s emphatic 8-0 win against FC Noah on Thursday night, Maresca expressed cautious optimism that Palmer could rejoin training on Saturday, keeping alive the prospect of his inclusion in the matchday squad against Arsenal.
“He’s better, he’s getting better,” Maresca said. “If he can walk and have dinner, it doesn’t mean he’s fully fit, but he is improving. Hopefully, we can have him join the session on Saturday, and then we will make a decision.”
Palmer’s possible return comes at a critical time for Chelsea, who are preparing to face an Arsenal side eager to rediscover their form as they welcome back Martin Odegaard after two months. The Gunners are winless in the Premier League since the 3-1 win over Southampton a month ago, slipping down the table as they struggled without their captain.
With Arsenal behind Chelsea on goal difference, the stakes are high for Mikel Arteta’s side, placing additional pressure on their visit to Stamford Bridge.
Maresca acknowledged the weight of expectation on both sides, but was quick to shift focus onto Chelsea’s own ambitions. “The pressure is also for us,” Maresca said. “For sure, they are the closest one with City. Both, I consider them better than the rest.
“The reason why is because one club is working with the same manager for nine years, and the other one is working with the same manager for five years, and this is a big, big, big advantage compared to the rest. So for me, that’s why they are better than the rest. But we’re going to try on Sunday to make life difficult for them. We’re going to try our best.”
Beyond Palmer, Chelsea are also monitoring the situation with Jadon Sancho, who has been dealing with an illness that kept him from participating in midweek training.
In addition to being under the weather, Sancho sustained a knock during a recent training session.
Maresca provided an update, explaining, “Jadon is out tomorrow against FC Noah due to illness, and he’s also recovering from a minor injury. We’ll assess his condition closer to Sunday, but if he doesn’t make it, we’re looking at his return after the international break.”