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Steven Gerrard reckons something is ‘brewing’ as Thomas Tuchel snubs Chelsea’s Cole Palmer
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Chelsea’s English midfielder #10 Cole Palmer (L) and Chelsea’s English midfielder #17 Morgan Rogers (R) warm up ahead of the English Premier League football match between Everton and Chelsea at Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool, north west England on October 17, 2026. (Photo by PETER POWELL / AFP via Getty Images) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. /
It came as a bit of a surprise when Thomas Tuchel announced his England squad and Chelsea star Cole Palmer was not included. Steven Gerrard has had his say on the situation.
It all began in the summer. After a difficult season in which Cole Palmer played with injury, Thomas Tuchel overlooked the playmaker. In September, Tuchel called him up for England’s extended four-game break.
But Palmer withdrew from the squad. Reports say Palmer himself was disappointed, suggesting it was a Chelsea decision. Muscle fatigue was cited as the reason, with Chelsea desperately keen to keep him fit.
READ MORE: Chelsea fans want £12.5m player sold after hearing what he had to say this week
Who is to blame? Gerrard discusses Palmer’s England omission
With November fixtures against Croatia and Spain on the horizon, Palmer was omitted from the England squad. On TNT Sports, Steven Gerrard thinks something is brewing behind the scenes between the duo.
The former England captain has urged Tuchel and Palmer to meet over a coffee or lunch to thrash out their issues and find common ground to be able to move forward. Palmer has just 14 England caps.
“I can understand both sides of it. That’s not me sitting on the fence. From a Tuchel point of view, he’ll be really frustrated that Palmer wasn’t in the September camp on the back of not getting in the World Cup.
Cole Palmer and three other Chelsea stars snubbed! What do you make of Thomas Tuchel's England squad? 🤔 Morgan Rogers does makes the squad, though.
100% I think he should have gone! But I also believe Tuchel really wanted to win
@jamesshearman23 they would have done better with Cole Palmer at the world cup
We did have our best finish since ‘66 - it’s not like we went out in the group
“To not see him for three weeks, and the Chelsea noise was that managing his load, but Tuchel will be thinking Cole should have done more to be in and around the England group. Cole is still frustrated.
“He will have carried that World Cup knock into September, he’s probably had a small problem and hasn’t pushed himself. But if you see the way he has played for Chelsea, I think he deserves to be in the squad.
“I hope they resolve this problem, because Cole Palmer can help England moving forward. They have to talk, they have to sit down, have a coffee or some lunch, because I think there is something brewing.
“Whether it’s he should have been at the World Cup, or whether it’s September, the sensible thing would be to sit down, get it out on the table, find a solution and move forward. Park your ego up,” Gerrard said.
“Noises can come out but I agree, he helps England. He has the quality to be in the England XI, but it would be a shame if there is some needle; I think it can be thrashed out with a bit of communication.”
Cole Palmer’s England form is a shadow of his Chelsea stats
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink backed Palmer to win a place in the England side this month, but it has not come to fruition. Indeed, Tuchel rates six other attacking midfielders higher than Palmer, at the moment.
But is there another reason than a fraught relationship between Tuchel and Palmer? The Chelsea star, who has signed a new deal at Stamford Bridge, became the third-quickest Chelsea player to 50 league goals.
He did it with his penalty against Man United, having a hand in 94 goals in 142 games. But in 14 England caps, Palmer has managed just two goals and one assist – though he did score in the Euro 2024 final.
Maybe it’s simply that Palmer has not proved himself in an England shirt, even if he continues to do so for Chelsea. The fact is that England have some wonderful players, and Palmer struggles in an England shirt.