Chelsea star Cole Palmer sent out an impatient update on his injury status as he celebrated a landmark achievement for the Blues. Palmer has not appeared for the Premier League giants since their 2-1 defeat against Manchester United at home on September 20 as he deals with a groin problem, and any hopes Chelsea fans had that he might have been back in training have been dashed.

Youth football is in Pep Guardiola's blood. He emerged from Barcelona's famed La Masia academy and then took his first steps as a coach after being appointed manager of the Catalans' B team all the way back in 2007. When he became first-team coach at Camp Nou one year later, he promoted the likes of Sergio Busquets and Pedro, plus the returning Gerard Pique, as Barca swept to the treble in style.

Enzo Maresca compared wonderkid Estevao to Cole Palmer after the Brazilian dropped a Champions League masterclass. The teenager, who cost the Blues £29 million from Palmeiras, announced himself to Europe with a dazzling display that left Ajax dazed and the Chelsea faithful dreaming of a bright new era.

It's difficult to overstate Cole Palmer's importance to Chelsea, but it's probably reflected in how determined head coach Enzo Maresca has been to have him at his disposal this season despite a persistent, niggling groin injury. The Blues have now paid a significant price for that over-reliance on the 23-year-old, with the attacker - who has already been sidelined for close to a month - now ruled out until December, in a crushing blow to his club and his World Cup hopes.

Cole Palmer's injury has been put down to Chelsea's "bizarre, wrong and impossible" schedule, with club icon Pat Nevin spelling out Enzo Maresca's "biggest challenge" so far. The 23-year-old has been ruled out for at least another six weeks, as revealed by the Italian manager in a press conference before resuming Premier League commitments after the international break with a clash against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.