Chelsea's 'best player' Cole Palmer fit to face Arsenal
What's the story
Chelsea FC's star forward Cole Palmer has been declared fit to play in the upcoming Premier League clash against Arsenal. The match is scheduled for Sunday at Stamford Bridge. Palmer, 23, had suffered a toe fracture last week after stubbing it on a door. His injury forced him to miss Chelsea's victories over Burnley and Barcelona in recent days. Here are further details.
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He is available to start, says Maresca
Palmer has had a tough time with injuries this season, managing to feature only four times across all competitions. Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca confirmed Palmer's availability for the match against Arsenal, saying, "He is available to start." "Everyone is happy, the team-mates are happy, we are all happy and the most important thing is Cole is happy because a footballer wants to play games and make the sessions every day," Maresca said during a press conference.
Player influence
Palmer's impact on Chelsea's performance
Palmer last played in a 2-1 loss to Manchester United on September 20. Since then, Chelsea has played 13 matches across all competitions, winning 10, losing two, and drawing one. The forward joined from Manchester City for an initial £40 million in September 2023 and has been Chelsea's top scorer in the last two Premier League seasons with 22 goals in his first season and another 15 last season.
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He is our best player, says Mareca on Palmer
Maresca also praised Palmer and said he is the club's best player. "He is our best player, we are happy he is back. We need to give him time to be 100% fit. He has done fantastic in the past and no doubt he is going to do very good for this club in the future."
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2nd-placed Chelsea to face league leaders Arsenal
The clash between Chelsea and Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on Sunday is set to be between the top two sides in the Premier League this season. Arsenal lead the show with 29 points from 12 matches. Chelsea are six points behind the Gunners.