Cole Palmer left fans guessing after a brief exchange with Man United’s Kobbie Mainoo, when he was forced off early at Old Trafford.
After coming off, Palmer had a brief talk with Mainoo
Chelsea’s clash with Man United turned chaotic inside the opening minutes when Robert Sanchez saw red for a last-man foul. Head coach Enzo Maresca had already made two changes before Man Utd even took the lead. But, the moment of most controversy came in the 21st minute, when Cole Palmer was unexpectedly substituted out.
The Englishman did not hide his emotion, throwing something down and trampling off down the tunnel. Cameras then caught him in conversation with Kobbie Mainoo. That left fans to speculate about what was said between the two young England teammates. Social media lit up with theories, many convinced Palmer voiced his frustration at being sacrificed so early.
Injury concerns behind the move
After the match, Maresca insisted the decision was injury-related, revealing Palmer has been struggling with a groin issue for weeks. As per journalist Simon Philips, Chelsea even tried pain-killing injections to get him out on the pitch. But, the pain was too much to carry on during the match at Old Trafford.
Palmer’s injury only adds to a disappointing run in the team. He has only played 55 minutes across the Blues’ last four league matches. He has been unable to shake off the pain which has meant missing key matches against West Ham and Fulham.
The West London side are still winless in their last three across all competitions. Now, losing Palmer’s creativity couldn’t come at a worse time.
Author’s Opinion:
Palmer’s concern about the injury showed how invested he was in the match. But, Chelsea are not willing to take a risk with his fitness. If he is not 100 percent fit, it is better to leave him out now.
