Palmer Set to Miss England’s World Cup Qualifiers Due to Injury

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has confirmed that Cole Palmer is unlikely to feature in England’s upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia due to a muscular injury sustained in training.

Palmer, who was absent in Chelsea’s 1-0 defeat to Arsenal, now faces a spell on the sidelines, with a Monday scan set to determine the extent of the issue.

Maresca: “I Don’t Think He Will Be Fit for England”

Speaking after Chelsea’s loss at the Emirates, Maresca expressed doubts over Palmer’s availability for international duty:

“I don’t think he will be fit for England, to be honest. His injury happened in yesterday’s session. It’s a muscular problem, and we need a scan to assess it properly.”

Palmer’s absence was keenly felt by Chelsea, who were also without Nicolas Jackson and Noni Madueke—two of their key attacking players.

Chelsea Struggle Without Their Top Scorers

Maresca emphasized the impact of missing Palmer, Jackson, and Madueke, who have contributed the majority of Chelsea’s goals this season:

“The three players with the most goals for us—Palmer, Jackson, and Madueke—were all unavailable. That makes a huge difference in attack.”

Despite Chelsea’s offensive struggles, Maresca remains optimistic:

“Even now, we are still among the top-scoring teams in the league, but we know we could do better with our key players available.”

A Well-Timed Break for Palmer?

Palmer has played a key role in 20 of Chelsea’s 53 league goals this season (14 goals, 6 assists). However, he has gone seven Premier League games without scoring, leading Maresca to suggest that a break could be beneficial:

“We never want players to get injured, but in Palmer’s case, a short rest might help him recover both physically and mentally.”

England Set for First Games Under Tuchel

England begin their 2026 World Cup qualification campaign under new head coach Thomas Tuchel on Friday against Albania, followed by a home fixture against Latvia at Wembley.