Cole Palmer is fighting to be fit and raring to go for Chelsea’s Premier League clash with Arsenal on Sunday – and faces a significant day with a fitness test on Saturday.
Palmer, 22, has not trained all week after he was injured by Lisandro Martinez in the Blues’ 1-1 draw at Manchester United last Sunday but remains hopeful of facing the Gunners in a 4th vs 5th face-off at Stamford Bridge this weekend.
On Friday night Palmer posted an image wearing a ‘Game Ready’ wrap, used for hot and cold therapy, on his injured left knee while sat on a physio table at Chelsea‘s Cobham training ground.
Saturday will prove key for Palmer, with manager Enzo Maresca hoping he will be able to play a part in today’s training session which will decide his availability for Sunday’s game.
Asked about his star man, who has seven goals in 10 appearances in the Premier League this season, manager Enzo Maresca said: ‘He’s better. He’s getting better.
‘If he can walk and have dinner, that doesn’t mean he is completely fit. He is getting better and we still have two days to prepare for the game.
‘Hopefully, we can have him for a session, at least on Saturday, and then we take a decision.’
Palmer did not play in Thursday’s 8-0 hammering of Armenian side Noah in the Conference League as he is not registered for the first half of the season in the third-tier European competition.
Elsewhere, Chelsea have no major injury concerns apart from a lack of fitness for Jadon Sancho. Arsenal, meanwhile, have Declan Rice playing through a broken toe. Kai Havertz is a doubt to face is former club with a cut to the head in midweek against Inter Milan and Martin Odegaard is still working back to full fitness after a spell out injured.
