Liam Rosenior says Cole Palmer’s absence from Chelsea’s win against Pafos on Wednesday was a “precautionary” measure.
Palmer, who was out from October to December with a groin issue and has struggled for fitness this season, was a surprise omission from the matchday squad, having played 90 minutes in the win against Brentford on Saturday.
Yet Chelsea boss Rosenior, after his side claimed a narrow 1-0 win against the plucky Cypriot team, implied that Palmer should not be out long-term, with Crystal Palace the next opponents in the Premier League on Sunday.
Asked about Palmer’s absence, Rosenior said: “Precautionary, he felt something really minor, early on in the game against Brentford.
“I don’t want to risk any players at this stage, particularly someone of Cole’s quality.”
Reece James was taken off at half-time, with Rosenior keen to manage his captain’s minutes, while Filip Jorgensen did sustain an injury and had to be replaced at half-time by Robert Sanchez.
Moises Caicedo’s 78th-minute header was the difference between the two teams and means Chelsea are positioned in eighth place, with a top-eight finish guaranteeing a last-16 spot, ahead of their final group-phase match against Serie A champions Napoli next week.
“You have to keep banging down the door and you also have to keep the back door shut,” Rosenior said of his team’s performance. “Overall, the body language of the group, they kept going.
“Moises is an outstanding player, a world-class midfield player, I don’t know how many headers he’s scored in his career but he’s a top player. When you play against a low block, your pivot player can be higher up the pitch... he’s scored goals this season.
“The reality of our situation now is we’re in the top eight. If we win, we have a good chance of going through.”
