Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca says forward Cole Palmer is likely to miss England’s World Cup qualifying games against Albania and Latvia with a muscular injury.
Palmer picked up the injury in training and was ruled out of Sunday’s 1-0 defeat at Arsenal.
Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White was added to the England squad later on Sunday.
It was the first Premier League game that Palmer had missed since April 2024, and Maresca thinks it is unlikely the 22-year-old will join up with Thomas Tuchel’s England squad.
“I don’t think [he will be fit for England] to be honest,” Maresca said after Sunday’s loss.
“His injury is from yesterday’s session. It’s a muscular problem, the scan is planned for Monday morning.”
As well as Parker, Chelsea were also without striker Nicolas Jackson and winger Noni Madueke on Sunday.
“It’s a huge difference. The three players who have the most goals for us [are] Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson and Noni Madueke, none of them were inside the pitch,” Maresca said.
“Two of them it’s already long term that they have been out. It’s normal that offensively that we can struggle a little bit.
“I think even until today we are second or third best attacking in the league. We’re doing well with the other players but we could do better with the players that are in this moment injured.”
Palmer has had a hand in 20 of Chelsea’s 53 league goals this season (14 goals, six assists), but has not scored for the past seven Premier League games – and Maresca thinks a rest may help him rediscover his best form.
“We don’t wish for a player’s injury but in Cole’s case at this moment, probably give him some rest physically and mentally it could be good,” added Maresca.
England play Albania on Friday in their first match under new head coach Tuchel as they start their qualification campaign for the World Cup in 2026, before playing Latvia at Wembley.
