Cole Palmer Unfazed by Goal Drought, Says Chelsea Boss Enzo Maresca

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has backed Cole Palmer to end his goal drought ahead of their Premier League clash with Leicester City, while also sympathizing with Foxes boss Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has revealed that attacking midfielder Cole Palmer remains unfazed by his current goal drought. Ahead of their Premier League clash with Leicester City, Maresca expressed confidence in Palmer's mental state, despite the England international's recent struggles in front of goal.

Palmer enjoyed a phenomenal breakout campaign last season, scoring 27 goals and providing 15 assists. However, he has now gone eight games without finding the back of the net in all competitions. Furthermore, Palmer has squandered several promising opportunities in recent matches, but Maresca is adamant that his player's confidence remains intact.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has expressed his confidence in Cole Palmer's mental state, despite the attacking midfielder's current goal drought. Maresca told reporters, “When you score a goal you are more happy because your goals help the team to win. But overall Cole is fine. He's happy. He knows he's struggled to score goals in this moment but that it's something normal that during the season can happen.”

Maresca also provided insight into Palmer's behavior during training sessions, saying, “Watching him during the training session you don't think it's affecting him, he's fantastic.” This assessment suggests that Palmer's goal drought has not significantly impacted his overall performance or mood.

Regarding injury updates, Maresca provided positive news on defender Wesley Fofana, stating, “Wes (Fofana) is training with us for more than 10 days so he's back.” Midfielder Romeo Lavia is also making progress, with Maresca saying, “Romeo (Lavia) is starting to work with us, so that's good news. He's still far from being fit 100%.”

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Maresca also offered an update on striker Nicolas Jackson's recovery, saying, ”Nico (Jackson) has started running outside but I think the programme is still the same - probably after the international break.”

Chelsea, currently fifth in the standings with 46 points from 27 games, will be optimistic about securing a home win on Sunday against 19th-placed Leicester City, who have lost their last four league games.

Enzo Maresca, who took charge of Chelsea after leaving Leicester before the start of the season, expressed sympathy for the relegation-threatened Foxes and their manager Ruud van Nistelrooy, a former teammate of Maresca's at Malaga. Maresca said, “I really support Ruud, first of all because he's a friend of mine and then because he's there. He's trying to do his best and all the best. We know it's difficult...” The Chelsea manager acknowledged the challenges Leicester are facing but emphasized his focus on his own team, saying, “In this moment, I'm focused on us. Now I'm here, I'm just thinking about us, how we can improve and then it's more for Ruud, for the sporting director, for the owner to find a solution.”