'Nowhere near' - Cole Palmer makes stark fitness admission despite starring in Chelsea win over Everton as he continue to 'manage' groin injury

It is claimed that Palmer requires “constant, careful attention” after nursing his way through troublesome knocks this season. He missed two games for Chelsea in August, before being forced out of a meeting with Manchester United in late September. A persistent groin problem proved difficult to shake.

When closing in on a return to fitness, the 23-year-old saw an unfortunate accident at home leave him sporting a fractured toe. He finally came back into contention for the defeat at Leeds on December 3. A further two outings have been taken in since then, with a first open-play goal at Stamford Bridge in 333 days being recorded in a victory over Everton - which snapped a four-game winless run for the Blues.

Palmer has said of easing his way back into Premier League competition, with full match sharpness still lacking: “I didn’t want to rush back too soon and then get injured again, and I’m still managing it, so it’s just about getting better each day.

“I enjoyed being back out there, and I’m still nowhere near 100 per cent in terms of fitness and sharpness, but I’m getting there and hopefully I’ll be there soon. I don’t want to do too much too soon but I’m getting there.”

Palmer said of taking in an enforced spell on the sidelines, with 16 games being sat out in total: “I’ve been out for a while, probably the longest I’ve ever been out, so I was itching to get back out there with the team. To start and score was a nice feeling. We’ve obviously had a difficult few games, and it’s harder than people think, a game every three days. It’s a lot of travel and it’s difficult, so to get the win is great.”

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Chelsea are hoping that their talismanic No.10 will steer clear of the treatment table for the foreseeable future. They have Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup fixtures on the agenda, while also readying themselves for a Carabao Cup quarter-final clash with Cardiff on Tuesday.

It remains to be seen whether Maresca will ask Palmer to put his body through three matches in the space of a week, with it important that he is not pushed to breaking point and beyond.

Palmer added to BBC Sport on recovering full fitness: “I wouldn’t say I’m at my best yet. I’m still dealing with an injury. Hopefully, it gets better and better but there’s still a bit to go. It is getting better. The stuff I’ve been doing with the physios at the club. It’s just a matter of not doing too much too soon. Literally, it’s just a day-by-day thing. Hopefully it gets better.”

England manager Thomas Tuchel will also be keeping a close eye on Palmer over the coming weeks. The 12-cap star has been forced to sit out three international camps this season - as team-mates have fired the Three Lions to the 2026 World Cup.

Demanding German tactician Tuchel, who delivered Champions League glory at Stamford Bridge, has warned that nobody is guaranteed a place in his plans - regardless of how talented they may be.

Palmer is being challenged to prove his worth, having previously netted for his country in a Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain. He is eager to grace another major tournament and bring 60 years of pain for England’s men’s national team to a close.

He will need to be fit and firing in order to earn a place on the plane to North America, with performances for Chelsea at club level set to determine whether he lines up against Croatia, Ghana and Panama in the World Cup group stage.