Enzo Maresca speaks out on Chelsea’s Cole Palmer dependency - sportsnewsfoot

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has insisted that his side are becoming less and less reliant upon star midfielder Cole Palmer.

The Blues have leaned upon the talented attacking midfielder since he arrived from Manchester City in the summer of 2023 for a bargain sum of £45m. Palmer has either scored or created an unrivalled 48 goals in 47 Premier League appearances for the west London outfit, leading to growing concerns about an element of over-reliance.

Departed Chelsea head coach Mauricio Pochettino memorably referred to the club as “Cole Palmer FC” last season. The Argentine’s successor, Maresca, also touched upon the team’s need to evolve beyond always turning to the England international, especially as opponents have increasingly resorted to man-marking Chelsea‘s talisman.

Curtis Jones had a hand in both goals as Liverpool defeated the Blues 2-1 at Anfield in October, yet Reds boss Arne Slot singled out the midfielder’s excellent work off the ball post-game, lauding how he snuffed out Palmer’s threat.

Over the subsequent seven weeks, Maresca believes that Chelsea are no longer cripplingly dependent upon Palmer. “If you remember in my first press conference I said that we cannot rely on Cole for every game because it is not correct,” the Italian told assembled journalists before his side’s London derby with Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

“He has to enjoy football. But if we prepare the season thinking Cole is the only solution then we are wrong.

“The only thing I can say is that since we start, with the right side with Noni [Madueke] and Pedro [Neto] and the left side with Mischa [Mudryk] and Jadon [Sancho], Enzo [Fernandez], Cole, Joao [Felix], Christo [Nkunku], the attacking players are doing well.”

Palmer has been left out of Chelsea’s squad for the group stages of the Europa Conference League, watching on from the sidelines while the likes of Christopher Nkunku and Joao Felix fill their boots in Europe’s third-tier club competition.

In the Premier League, Palmer is still Chelsea’s leading scorer (nine goals) and top assist provider (six), but Nicolas Jackson’s prolific run of form has lightened the load. Noni Madueke’s work ethic may be questioned, but the fleet-footed winger has played his own part, directly contributing to seven top-flight goals this term.

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