Palmer is ready to play a full 90 minutes for Chelsea again, while Liam Delap and Estevao are also fit again
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Chelsea have received a triple injury boost ahead of their top-four clash with Aston Villa with Cole Palmer now ready to play a full 90 minutes and both Estevao and Liam Delap fit to return to action.
The fourth-placed Blues face an in-form Villa side, who sit one spot above them, on Saturday evening and now have talisman Palmer ready to last a full match if required.
The England international has had his minutes restricted since returning from a groin injury and a broken toe earlier this month but, in his pre-match press conference, boss Enzo Maresca suggested that was no longer an issue.
“I think he (Palmer) is ready for 90 minutes,” said Maresca. “The progression for a player is 45 (minutes), one hour, 70.
“He already played one hour against Everton. He played more than 70 against Newcastle, so I think the progression is there.”
An interesting sub-plot of Saturday’s clash will be Palmer coming up against Villa star Morgan Rogers – with both men competing to be the starting No 10 for Thomas Tuchel’s England at next summer’s World Cup.
Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers will both be competing for England’s starting No 10 berthopen image in gallery
Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers will both be competing for England’s starting No 10 berth (Getty Images)
Rogers has far outshone the injury-affected Chelsea man so far this season but Maresca insisted he would not trade the two players.
“No, because I love Cole and Cole is my player,” added Maresca. “It’s a good option for Thomas (Tuchel) but at the end it’s his decision.”
In addition to Palmer being fully fit, Chelsea will also have two more players returning on Saturday. £30m striker Delap has recovered more quickly from the shoulder injury he sustained against Bournemouth on 6 December than expected, while winger Estevao hasn’t appeared since the win over Everton 11 days ago.
The 22-year-old Delap is yet to score his first Premier League goal since moving from Ipswich in the summer and has missed around 10 weeks of the season – mostly with a groin problem picked up in August.
“Estevao is available for Saturday and also Liam Delap,” Maresca confirmed. “We didn’t know exactly how long (Delap) needed to be out. Very happy for both.”
Liam Delap is still waiting for his first Premier League goal for Chelseaopen image in gallery
Liam Delap is still waiting for his first Premier League goal for Chelsea (Getty Images)
Maresca himself won’t be on the sidlelines on Saturday after earning a touchline ban for a third yellow card of the season, having previously served a one-match ban in October after being shown a red card against Liverpool for over-celebrating.
“Yes, in almost 100 games, I’ve been suspended three times,” said the Italian. “One for celebration and two times for yellow cards.
"So yeah, unfortunately I will be in the stands, but Willy (Caballero) is there, Danny (Walker) is there, the coaching staff is there.”
As is common practice in his press conferences these days, Maresca also got annoyed at the line of questioning at one point – not taking kindly to being asked if the Blues have any plans to recruit more players in January, amid links to Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo.
“I know I need to repeat every press conference exactly the same,” he fumed. “Before Newcastle I spoke about my relationship with the club and said it is good. I spoke about Estevao and Delap back and now I need to repeat.
“I spoke about wide players (in the transfer market), and before Newcastle I said I’m in love with the squad that we have. I don’t think we need to do something. The next (press conference) I will answer the same question again.”