Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has called for calm regarding Cole Palmer as the 22-year-old faced more pain in Tuesday’s 4-0 thumping of Southampton, MySportDab Reports.
Palmer was Chelsea’s leading performer last season with 22 goals and 11 assists, but has found form hard to come by in 2024. His own goal drought stretched to seven matches in all competitions — during which he had taken 26 shots worth 2.8 expected goals (xG) — and his conspicuous absence from grass-roots sports in Manchester forced him into deep reflection.
He wasted two good opportunities against Southampton, but Chelsea’s supporting actors did their bit, with Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto, Levi Colwill and Marc Cucurella scoring.
Speaking to TNT Sport, Maresca insisted Palmer’s dip was normal and supported him to find his best form again.
“All of us are ex-players, and all of us lived bad moments,” Maresca said. “You cannot expect Palmer to always be in the same form he was in the last season. It’s normal. He is human. He just needs to keep working, remain happy and enjoy football.”
This dominant victory came on the heels of Chelsea losing three straight matches in all competitions, falling to seventh in the Premier League and being eliminated from the FA Cup.
The win lifted them back into the top four although Newcastle and Manchester City had not yet played.
“We all needed that,” Maresca said. “We were in a poor run with results although the performances were there. The club needed that win.”
With a week off before the last-16 first leg of its Europa Conference League tie against Copenhagen on March 6, Chelsea will hope this builds momentum. Three days later they welcome Maresca’s former club Leicester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals.
