Enzo Maresca has explained why Cole Palmer missed Chelsea's 1-0 defeat at Arsenal on Sunday, adding that he expects the midfielder to return after the international break.
Palmer had been an ever-present in Chelsea’s side this season, with the last Premier League match he missed coincidentally being their trip to Emirates Stadium last April, when they lost 5-0 to the Gunners.
Of Chelsea’s 53 goals this season heading into the Arsenal match, 20 had been scored or assisted by Palmer, even if he is in the middle of a seven-match scoreless streak in the competition, including a missed penalty last time out in the league.
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Maresca told Sky Sports ahead of Sunday’s match that Palmer had been ill.
"He's not in the toilet, for sure!" Maresca said. "He had, as we know, last week some problems [with illness]. And unfortunately yesterday he had a very small problem. We think, after the international break, he will be back with us.
"He had an injury yesterday during the session. It was a very light session. That's why we think it is nothing important. But we wait and the feeling is he will be back after the next international break."
Palmer has been named in Thomas Tuchel’s first England squad for World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia. When asked about whether he would be absent from England duty, Maresca added: "For sure, because he is injured and he didn't play today."
