What was Enzo Maresca thinking? Cole Palmer substitution in Chelsea's defeat at spirited Man Utd explained as new information comes to light

Palmer initially returned to the Chelsea fold as a second-half substitute in their 2-2 draw with Brentford on September 13. He then started and scored in his side’s 3-1 defeat against Bayern Munich in their Champions League opener on Wednesday evening.

But now Chelsea boss Maresca has confirmed that Palmer - who also missed England’s World Cup-qualifying double header against Andorra and Serbia earlier this month - is still struggling with his groin, having started against United despite not being 100 percent fit.

Speaking after his side’s defeat against United, Maresca explained: "He (Palmer) tried this morning. He had a test this morning to play this game. He was not 100 percent fit. He made a fantastic effort to play this game, but he was not 100 percent.

"It’s a problem that is already a long time for him, his groin. Again, he did this morning a test. He wants to play this game for the team, to be close. So the effort has been huge from him. But then, after 20 minutes, he started to feel something, so we decided to change it."

Chelsea are aiming to bounce back from their loss against United when they travel to Lincoln City in the third round of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday. Maresca’s men have made a stuttering start to the 2025-26 campaign, winning two of their opening six games in all competitions.