Paul Merson has doubled down on his demand for Cole Palmer to be utilised as Chelsea’s permanent number 10, insisting that it must happen against Manchester City.
The debate surrounding Cole Palmer’s position has intensified as both Chelsea and England grapple with unlocking his potential amidst an injury-plagued 2025–26 campaign.
At Stamford Bridge, Liam Rosenior has frequently deployed Palmer on the right flank, a move heavily criticised by pundits like Paul Merson, who argue that the 23-year-old is wasted.
While Palmer thrived on the right under Mauricio Pochettino, his current lack of runners, following Nicolas Jackson’s loan to Bayern, has left him isolated.
The situation is equally fraught at the international level. England manager Thomas Tuchel has issued a blunt warning that Palmer’s World Cup starting spot is not guaranteed, citing fierce competition for the central attacking role from his colleagues.
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Paul Merson calls for Cole Palmer in the 10 role
Paul Merson has predicted a draw between Chelsea and Manchester City, but the main crux of his entry was about the position he wants to see Cole Palmer in (Sportskeeda).
“I’ve already said this many times, Palmer should always play as the no.10. I expect Chelsea to give City strong competition in this game.
“I’m going for a draw here, which essentially means Arsenal to win the league!”
It’s something that should come true against Man City, especially with Enzo Fernandez serving a suspension, so the central role will be completely free.
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A sign of things to come for Palmer?
In the Premier League, Cole Palmer has been used as a winger in Chelsea’s last five games.
However, since Enzo Fernandez’s suspension, Palmer was used centrally against Port Vale, but he failed to contribute in the 7-0 win over the League One side.
This shouldn’t put Rosenior off deploying him there again, especially now Estevao Willian is back and ready to start on the right-hand side.
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