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Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has revealed Cole Palmer is still feeling pain in his groin and will not be able to play three games a week for the time being.
Palmer has made two appearances for the club since missing over two months of football with the injury, although his comeback was also slightly delayed due to a toe fracture.
The 23-year-old England international came on as a substitute against Leeds United last week before starting at Bournemouth three days later. He did not travel to Italy for Tuesday’s Champions League defeat to Atalanta but is expected to face Everton at home tomorrow.
However, Maresca confirmed Palmer has felt discomfort in training this week as well as the day after the Leeds fixture.
He said: “Yesterday he finished the session with us with a mixed feeling. Overall he was fine but still a little bit painful.
“Is it something that will have to be managed for the whole season? Hopefully not. But it is something that is a little bit day by day. You can see he’s getting better (and then) some days it can be worse. For instance. After Leeds, he was completely bad the day after and he played half an hour. After Bournemouth he was okay and he played one hour.
“There is not any sense (to it). It’s day by day that decides how he feels.”
Maresca is already having to manage the amount of games key first team players Reece James and Wesley Fofana play due to their injury history. Romeo Lavia, who is currently sidelined with a muscular problem, is another whenever he is available for selection.
The Chelsea head coach does not think Palmer needs surgery to fix the groin problem but when asked if the player has joined the group of players who cannot play in every fixture, he replied: “At the moment, absolutely yes.”
There could be some more positive news though about midfielder Dario Essugo, who has not featured since having an operation on a thigh injury three months ago.
Essugo was back in training only to suffer a setback earlier this month. But Maresca has suggested he should be back with the group soon.
“I don’t know (if he will be back before Christmas), I don’t have information. I know that he’s better. It’s not the same injury that he had in the past. It’s something small and it will be a short time.”