Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca revealed that Cole Palmer will likely be joined on the sidelines by Moisés Caicedo, Enzo Fernández and Pedro Neto for Saturday’s trip to Nottingham Forest.
Palmer’s unexpectedly lengthy absence initially stole the headlines as Maresca admitted on Friday that the club’s talismanic attacking midfielder would be out for another six weeks. However, the potential loss of three more key figures could prove to be even more costly.
After announcing that backup centre back Benoît Badiashile would be out until December with a muscular problem, Maresca added: “And then we have Moi [Caicedo], Enzo [Fernández], Pedro [Neto], they didn’t take part in the session yesterday, and we’ll see if they can train today, otherwise they’re going to be out.”
Maresca was able to welcome back Reece James, Tosin Adarabioyo and Andrey Santos—who could prove to be particularly important in midfield—but sighed: “Enzo is out, Moi is out, Pedro is out, it’s a little bit of a balance, but again, we’re going to try our best to find the right solution for the next games.”
Fernández was always a doubt after being forced to withdraw from Argentina’s international camp after an inflammation in his knee. Pedro Neto started both of Portugal’s World Cup qualifiers this month but was forced off against Hungary after an hour on Tuesday night with what has proven to be an injury issue.
Caicedo, never one to turn down a call-up from his country, took the unprecedented step of sitting out Ecuador’s two friendlies this month to prioritise his recovery at club level. It clearly hasn’t worked.
Why Caicedo’s Absence Could be Bigger Than Palmer’s For Chelsea
During his single season at Stamford Bridge, Mauricio Pochettino memorably challenged his players to prove that they were not “Cole Palmer FC” ahead of a rare outing without the talismanic playmaker. The Palmer-less outfit promplty lost 5–0.
Since Maresca took over in the summer of 2024, that dependency upon Palmer has been gradually diluted. Even when fit and available, the England international has endured long stretches of limited influence as teams routinely took to man-marking Chelsea’s obvious danger man.
Of the six matches Palmer has missed through injury this season, Chelsea have won five of them, including a late 2–1 victory over Liverpool last time out. Caicedo blasted in the opening goal in that clash during a performance which underscored his importance to Chelsea’s post-Palmer existence.
Unlike his increasingly injury-prone teammate, Caicedo has been reliably ever-present for Maresca. The rambunctious 23-year-old started all 38 Premier League matches last term, becoming the first Chelsea midfielder to achieve that feat since Frank Lampard two decades earlier.
All that time on the pitch has given Caicedo ample opportunity to demonstrate his unrivalled impact off the ball. Chelsea’s one-man swarm leads the entire Premier League for tackles (28) and interceptions (18).
Few players in the division can match his industry—which often masks an impressive dexterity in possession—and no one in Chelsea’s squad can come close. Dário Essugo may have offered some of that defensive work rate but is set to be sidelined with an injury of his own until January. Roméo Lavia never strays far from the treatment room while Santos may be forced to call upon all of his defensive resolve in Caicedo’s absence.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Chelsea Suffer Triple Injury Blow on Top of Cole Palmer Setback for Nottingham Forest Clash.
