Cole Palmer, Chelsea’s top scorer, might not be available when they play Premier League leaders Arsenal on Tuesday.
With 20 goals, Palmer is tied for the league lead in scoring.
Mauricio Pochettino, the manager of the Blues, stated that the 21-year-old is having difficulty getting well from his ailment in time for the match.
“We’ll meet early on [Tuesday]. I don’t think he can be involved today, “Pochettino stated.
“Maybe he is not fit to play, even if he does well [on Tuesday]. We’re hoping he can bounce back from this and continue to play for the squad.”
Palmer’s absence would be detrimental to Chelsea’s chances of making it to Europe as they now sit ninth in the Premier League, three points behind seventh place.
Arsenal’s Premier League hopes are boosted by a 2-0 win against Aston Villa, but they recovered with a similar scoreline at Wolverhampton Wanderers. Tuesday’s game will be their fourth in 10 days, and manager Mikel Arteta insists his side are not affected by the quick turnaround between fixtures.
He believes the team is focusing on the next game and preparing well. Arteta also mentioned that Chelsea’s squad quality is great, and they have been playing much better than their place in the table suggests.
He believes it will be a tough match, especially as defender Jurrien Timber is out for Arsenal due to a serious knee injury sustained on his debut. He is set to play for the Gunners’ Under-21s this week.
(BBC)
