Cole Palmer had been named in the starting XI for Chelsea in their recent game vs West Ham United. But it seemed that he picked up some sort of issue during the pre-match warm-up and could not feature on the day, with Estevao replacing him. The Blues did win 5-1 against Graham Potter's side but there are far tougher tests ahead, and they will want to have their star man back as soon as possible.
Not many updates have emerged on Palmer's situation since then. Is no news good news in this respect though. Unfortunately, it might not be.
As reported by The Chelsea Chronicle, Simon Phillips has reported via Substack that Palmer will now have a scan on his groin this coming Tuesday. The ‘initial belief’ is that he could be sidelined for around 4-6 weeks. However, the journalist stresses this is not the final diagnosis.
Of course, Palmer's absence for any significant length of time would be a problem for Chelsea. He is clearly the club's best player, as we saw in the Club World Cup final, which he won the Blues almost single-handedly with a terrific first-half display.
'4-6 weeks' - Worrying Cole Palmer injury update for Chelsea
Chelsea fans will be happy that the injury proves to be as minor as possible and Palmer is back on the pitch soon. If he can't, they will need to find alternative solutions.
Of course, the performance against West Ham United was positive. But Potter's side are not the benchmark of opposition in the Premier League. They had lost 3-0 to newcomers Sunderland in the previous game. So, one cannot read too much into Chelsea's display without Palmer.
We can only wish Palmer a speedy recovery and hope he is back playing in the Royal Blue jersey as soon as possible. Get well soon, Cole.