Chelsea have been without Cole Palmer ever since he was forced off injured against Manchester United in September but he is fit for Sunday's big game against Arsenal
Cole Palmer
Cole Palmer is set to play for Chelsea against Arsenal on Sunday
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Cole Palmer is available for Chelsea's huge London derby with Arsenal on Sunday - just days after it emerged he had suffered a bizarre injury setback.
The Blues talisman, 23, has missed the last 13 games due to a persistent groin issue. And things seemingly went from bad to worse for the England star when Enzo Maresca revealed last week that Palmer had fractured his small toe in an accident at home, sparking speculation his return would be further delayed.
However, Maresca has confirmed that Palmer is fit and ready to play from the start this weekend when Chelsea host Arsenal in a clash pitting the league leaders against the team directly below them in the table.
“He’s available,” Maresca said on Friday. “Everyone is happy. The team-mates are happy. We are all happy and the most important thing is that Cole is happy because at the end, a football player, they want to play games and make sessions every day.
“What kind of contribution do I expect? A lot, a lot. He is probably our best player. We are happy that he is back. Now we need to give him time to be 100 per cent fit. He has done fantastic in the past and no doubt he is going to do very well for this club in the future.”
Cole Palmer during a training session
Palmer has been sidelined since September(Image: Darren Walsh, Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
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While Palmer's absence has been significant, Chelsea's new sensation, Estevao Willian, has dazzled in his place. The teenager underlined his impact with a goal in the stunning 3-0 win over Barcelona in the Champions League in midweek.
Crucially, Maresca feels Palmer and the teenager can thrive playing alongside one another rather than the return of the former affecting Estavo's minutes. He said of the duo: “They can play together. It depends on which team, it depends a little bit on the game plan, but for sure they are excited.
“The fans are excited to watch both together. We are also excited, thinking that at the end we need always a balance between the two phases.”
Chelsea can close the gap at the Premier League summit to just three points with victory against Arsenal on Sunday, while Arteta's men will have the chance to put even more daylight between themselves and their other rivals such as Liverpool and Manchester City.
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