In a worrying development for Chelsea fans, manager Enzo Maresca has hinted at the possibility of surgery for star midfielder Cole Palmer following the Blues' disappointing 2-1 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday.
As Chelsea prepares for a gruelling Premier League schedule, Maresca's post-match assessment has sparked widespread concern over Palmer's availability—and the long-term implications for the team's title aspirations.
The Moment That Shook Stamford Bridge: Palmer's Early Exit at Old Trafford
The clash at Old Trafford was billed as a top-four showdown, with both sides desperate for points early in the 2025/26 campaign. Chelsea, under Maresca's tactical stewardship, started brightly, dominating possession and creating chances through Palmer's trademark creativity. However, the game's turning point came just shy of the half-hour mark when Palmer pulled up during a counter-attack, with a groin issue.
Eyewitnesses and match reports described Palmer's effort as heroic: he had undergone a fitness test just hours before kick-off and insisted on playing to support his teammates in the high-stakes fixture. But the pain proved too much, raising red flags about the severity of the injury.
Bit of clarification on this comment from Enzo Maresca on Cole Palmer: "The medical staff didn't mention to me about surgery until today."
— Bobby Vincent (@BobbyVincentFL) September 22, 2025
Enzo means there has been no chat about it up until this point. #CFC
Enzo Maresca's Candid Injury Update: "Day by Day, Week by Week"
Speaking to reporters after Monday's training session at Cobham, Maresca provided a detailed but cautious update on Palmer's condition, emphasizing the player's resilience while acknowledging the medical team's evolving assessment.
"Cole probably is the only one that we need to assess a little bit. The rest, they are okay, just recovering from the last week when we played three games in a row," Maresca began, highlighting the toll of Chelsea's midweek Europa League commitments.
Delving into the specifics, the Italian tactician praised Palmer's commitment: “He did already a huge effort on last Saturday to try to play the game. Again, he tried Saturday morning, he did the test, he was okay but not 100%. But he wants to be there to help teammates to be there in that kind of game. But unfortunately, then we had 10 players and also it was painful, so we decided to change it. And it’s more day by day, week by week, game by game to see how it is and decide what we do.”
The most alarming revelation came when Maresca addressed the spectre of surgery—a prospect that has loomed over Palmer since a minor strain earlier in preseason.
“The medical staff, they didn’t mention to me about surgery until today. Now, I don’t know if in the next days or the next weeks, but I don’t think so, to be honest.”
While Maresca's tone suggests optimism, the mere mention of surgical intervention has fuelled speculation. Groin injuries, particularly in high-output players like Palmer, can side-line talents for weeks if not months if managed meticulously.
Bobby Vincent from Football London, has clarified that Maresca meant that nobody from Chelsea's medical team had informed him that Cole Palmer would need surgery, so hopefully this is a good sign, however they are taking it 'day by day', so only time will tell.
Enzo Maresca says Cole Palmer 'may' need surgery on his groin 🥴pic.twitter.com/stv3lAHga4
— CFC-Blues (@CFCBlues_com) September 22, 2025
