Cole Palmer has scored six goals in his first seven Premier League games for Chelsea but head coach Enzo Maresca has urged his side not to rely on the teenager.
Enzo Maresca has issued a warning to his Chelsea squad, stating they can’t depend on Cole Palmer to “solve all our problems” as they gear up for a challenging series of Premier League matches, starting with Liverpool this Sunday.
Post the Anfield match, where the head coach will be missing the services of suspended duo Marc Cucurella and Wesley Fofana in defence, the Londoners are set to host Newcastle before heading to Old Trafford to take on Manchester United.
The Gunners will then make their way to Stamford Bridge, concluding a three-week period during which the potential shown in Maresca’s initial seven games will undergo rigorous scrutiny, with the team’s top-four aspirations being challenged.
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Currently occupying the fourth spot in the league, Palmer has been instrumental in Chelsea’s impressive start, scoring six goals in seven matches, including a record-breaking performance against Brighton where he became the first Premier League player to score four in the first half.
However, despite having a wealth of talent at his disposal, Maresca, who has been rotating between different XIs for league and cup games without affecting the team’s rhythm or consistency, has cautioned against relying solely on Palmer.
“If we think that Cole is going to solve all our problems, it’s a big mistake,” he stated. “We put all the pressure on his shoulders and that is wrong.”
Reflecting on his squad’s depth, Maresca emphasised unity, remarking, “Also because we have Cole but we have many players that are doing well; Noni (Madueke), Pedro (Neto), Nicolas (Jackson), Christo (Christopher Nkunku), Enzo (Fernandez). It’s not just about Cole, it’s about all the squad.”
Nkunku, with a tally of seven goals, stands as the leading scorer this season for the team, though only one has been netted in league play the clinching goal in the previous month’s 1-0 triumph away at Bournemouth.
Madueke, remembered for his stunning hat-trick against Wolves back in August, has racked up five across competitions while Jackson follows closely behind with four to his name.
A win at Anfield would mark Chelsea’s first since March 2021, pulling them just within reach, a mere point shy of Arne Slot’s trailblazers after the initial seven matches.
Manchester City and Arsenal, both with victories under their belts, including City’s 2-0 opening Sunday win at Stamford Bridge, sit three points ahead of Maresca’s squad before the weekend’s games. Despite this, Maresca has maintained that he does not see Chelsea as immediate contenders against last season’s front-runners, a sentiment he echoed before the team’s journey to Liverpool.
“I don’t see in this moment Chelsea being close to these kind of clubs, for many reasons,” he articulated. “But for sure we work every day to be close to (Liverpool), knowing it requires us to work together day by day, time to approach and go close.”
He continued, “The only way to try to be close is just to be focused on the things we need to improve. To think where we can to be in four games, its a bit difficult. The only thing I can say is that we want to try to do our best Sunday.”
“I consider the City game our best this season, for many reasons. First of all because I know City, and second because we really played a good game, didn’t concede many chances. We had many chances before and after they scored.”
“Game after game we are improving different things, but that game was a good game.”
