Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca sounded genuinely relieved this week as he confirmed that Cole Palmer is not only back in training but fit enough to start against Arsenal on Sunday — a top-of-the-table meeting that already feels like it could shape the winter narrative of the Premier League.
Only a few days ago, Palmer was recovering from a fractured little toe thanks to a freak accident at home.
Now, he’s suddenly in contention for one of the biggest fixtures of the season.
Maresca summed it up simply: everyone is delighted — teammates, staff, fans — but most importantly, Palmer himself.
As the manager put it, nothing matters more to a footballer than being healthy enough to play and to train without hesitation.
The Big Selection Question for Maresca
The decision now sits squarely with Maresca: does he throw Palmer straight into the starting eleven or ease him in from the bench?
Either way, Chelsea supporters will just be happy to see the 23-year-old available at all.
His creativity and calmness in the final third have been the engine behind so much of Chelsea’s forward play this season.
And he’s not the only exciting option back on the menu.
Why Palmer and Estevão Willian Don’t Have to Be an Either-Or
Maresca was also eager to stress that Cole Palmer and teenage sensation Estevão Willian can absolutely coexist on the pitch.
He insists that the pair are more complementary than competitive, and that their involvement together comes down to the game plan rather than any clash of styles.
Fans have been eager to see them operate in tandem — and clearly the coaching staff feels the same.
The pair have technically started together once before, though that match barely got off the ground: it was away at Manchester United, when Robert Sánchez was sent off barely five minutes in.
The red card forced Estevão off so Chelsea could bring on backup goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen.
Palmer didn’t last long either that day, hobbling off early with a groin issue.
In short, we’ve never properly seen the duo get going side by side.
More Good News: Bodies Returning
Maresca also confirmed that Dário Essugo — standing in for Moisés Caicedo — has returned to training as well, giving Chelsea a little more midfield security heading into a demanding December stretch.
Are Chelsea Genuine Title Contenders Yet?
Given the stakes of Sunday’s showdown, Maresca was inevitably asked whether a win over Arsenal would put Chelsea firmly in the title conversation.
His answer? Not so fast.
He believes late November is far too early for big declarations.
The real story, he says, comes in February and March — the months when the table begins to settle and ambitions become real.
Chelsea, in his view, must first focus on consistency, then worry about labels like “title contenders.”
For now, he just wants progress and calm heads.
What Comes Next
With Palmer back, Estevão fit, Essugo available and a huge home game approaching, Chelsea walk into Sunday with something they’ve lacked for a while: momentum.
Whether they can turn that into a statement win is the question waiting for its answer at Stamford Bridge.
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