Cole Palmer
Although Cole Palmer has been quieter in recent weeks—mirroring the struggles of the entire squad—he continues to earn recognition, recently winning the Premier League Player of the Year 2025 at the London Football Awards.
Despite Chelsea’s difficulties, Palmer remains the team's biggest attacking threat. With 14 goals and eight assists, he is Chelsea’s top scorer and creator this season. In the last league game against Southampton, he registered an expected goal involvement (xGI) of 1.40 without scoring or assisting any of Chelsea’s four goals—an unlucky outing for the midfielder. He has now gone seven games in all competitions without a goal.
When asked about Palmer’s goal drought and its impact on his confidence, Maresca responded:
"For sure, when you score a goal, you’re probably happier. Also, because your goals help the team win. But overall, Cole (Palmer) is fine, he is happy. He knows that he is struggling to score at the moment, but he is aware that this is normal and can happen during a season. Watching him in training, you don’t think it is affecting him, because he is fantastic."
While Palmer’s output is currently behind last season’s incredible 33 goal contributions, his home form remains strong. With eight goals and four assists at Stamford Bridge, he ranks second only to Mohamed Salah for home goal involvements this season.
Palmer will be expected to lead Chelsea’s attack against a struggling Leicester side fighting for survival under Ruud van Nistelrooy. This game presents a great opportunity for him to rediscover his scoring touch and help Chelsea strengthen their push for a coveted Champions League spot. Chelsea can move up to third with a win against Leicester, if the game between Nottingham Forest and Manchester City ends in a draw.