'Like Erling Haaland or Mohamed Salah' - Enzo Maresca highlights Chelsea star Cole Palmer's importance after latest injury setback

Chelsea have been forced to cope without Palmer after he sustained a groin injury in the 2-1 loss at Manchester United on 20 September. The England international was set to resume first-team training this week, but his long-awaited return has been pushed back by an extra seven days after he stubbed his toe on a door.

Palmer will subsequently miss Chelsea’s next three games - Saturday's trip to Burnley in the Premier League, Tuesday's home fixture against Barcelona in the Champions League and next weekend's league match at home to leaders Arsenal.

Confirming the incident in his pre-match press conference ahead of the Burnley game, Maresca said: “He [Palmer] is probably not available for Saturday for sure, Barcelona for sure or Arsenal for sure.

“Unfortunately, he had an accident at home where he hit his toe. It is nothing important, but he won't be back in the next week. I wake up many times during the night - I hit my head, my legs, my everything - so it can happen.”

Palmer has become Chelsea’s leader since his arrival from City in 2023. The 23-year-old has scored 45 goals in 101 appearances for the west Londoners, winning both the Conference League and the FIFA Club World Cup.

And such is Palmer’s influence on Chelsea that head coach Maresca has compared his absence to rivals City and Liverpool trying to win games without Haaland and Salah, who are also among the league’s best players.

The Italian told the club’s official website: “I’m very proud because for us Cole is like [Erling] Haaland for [Manchester] City, like [Mohamed] Salah for Liverpool. If Haaland doesn’t play for City or Salah doesn’t play for Liverpool, they are not the same team.

“So I’m very proud, but especially very proud of the players, because it is a difficult moment without Cole. They showed they are good players and they all want the best for this club.”

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One player Maresca will be able to turn to against Burnley is Liam Delap, who recently made his return from a hamstring injury in Chelsea’s 3-0 league win over struggling Wolves before the international break.

Delap moved to Stamford Bridge from relegated Ipswich Town in the summer, scoring his first goal for his new side against Tunisian outfit Esperance Tunis in the Club World Cup in June. The 22-year-old is still looking for his first Chelsea goal in domestic football.

“For sure Liam is part of our learning process,” Maresca said. “I know Liam very well from years ago and Liam is a fantastic player, especially when there are spaces to attack.

“He struggles a little bit more when there is no space, in the way he is. So in games like Wolves and probably today, he is going to struggle a bit more because there is no space to attack.

“Against teams that we can attack in behind with space he is a top player, he is fantastic. But in the same moment it is a learning process for him, how to play against these teams, how to be better, how we can help him to be better, to play against teams that wait for us and sit back.”

It remains to be seen whether Delap will start when Chelsea make the trip to Burnley on Saturday. Maresca’s side can move just three points behind Arsenal with a victory at Turf Moor, with Mikel Arteta’s Gunners set to renew hostilities with Tottenham in the north London derby at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

Chelsea have lost just once in their last five games in all competitions, against high-flying Sunderland on 25 October, having recorded wins over Tottenham and Wolves in the league. They also defeated Wolves in the Carabao Cup on 29 October, before drawing with Azerbaijani side Qarabag in the Champions League on 5 November.