Chelsea star Cole Palmer was subbed off after just 20 minutes against Manchester United due to a recurring groin injury which has plagued him at the start of the new Premier League season.
His manager confirmed that was the issue and Palmer has been struggling with this for a long while. And now we know the Blues’ next move with this injury.
RECAP — Manchester United vs Chelsea
“We decided to protect Cole, so it doesn’t get worse in the injury,” Maresca said on Friday, September 26. “So we will rest him for the next two or three weeks until the international break, to see if the rest means he can recover 100 percent.
“It’s just managing the pain in his groin. The amount of games, this can happen. We try to be a bit conservative with him and hopefully he can be 100 percent after the international break.”
Cole Palmer injury — Chelsea star subbed out at Manchester United
Palmer had to be withdrawn from Chelsea’s lineup during warmups prior to facing West Ham last month and subsequently missed the Blues’ next game before returning after the September international break. He appeared to point to his groin while speaking to manager Enzo Maresca ss he walked off the field at Old Trafford, and then again as he passed England teammate Kobbie Mainoo stretching on the sideline.
After the game the update on Cole Palmer’s injury status has arrived from Enzo Maresca: “It’s a problem for a long time for him, his groin.”
“Cole was not 100% ready but he wanted to play this game… so the effort is huge but after 20 minutes, he decided it was too much.”
Palmer was Chelsea’s third change of the game after goalkeeper Robert Sanchez was sent off in the fifth minute. It was the fastest occurrence of a team making three substitutions in a single game in PL history.
Palmer had ice on his groin as he comes back out to the Chelsea bench. It effectively confirms the change was through injury. https://t.co/dZuzjnBnyU
— Nizaar Kinsella (@NizaarKinsella) September 20, 2025
