Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca confirms Cole Palmer and Wesley Fofana are available for the Premier League clash with Everton

Chelsea have received a boost ahead of their Premier League clash with Everton, with Cole Palmer and Wesley Fofana confirmed as available for the match.

Palmer, who has been out for six weeks with groin issues and a broken toe, has been progressing well and completed a training session with the team on Thursday.

Fofana, who was forced off with an eye injury during Chelsea’s midweek Champions League loss at Atalanta, has also been cleared to play. The centre-back completed a training session on Thursday and is expected to be included in the squad for Saturday’s match.

However, Chelsea’s hopes of having Liam Delap back in action have been dashed, with the striker facing an extended absence due to a shoulder injury.

Delap, who hurt his shoulder during last weekend’s goalless draw at Bournemouth, is expected to be out for two to four weeks.

Maresca said Delap needs more time to heal, adding, “It can be two, three or four weeks. We don’t know exactly how many days he needs.” The news is a blow for Chelsea, who have struggled for goals in recent matches.

Chelsea are looking to bounce back from their recent setbacks and maintain their position in the top five of the Premier League table.

Maresca said consistency was the “next step” for his team, adding, “How do we do that, it’s just one week, it’s not a long time, but for sure when something happens, the next game you are more prepared and you can avoid that.”

The Blues have won just one of their last four matches, and Maresca is keen to see an improvement in performance against Everton.

Maresca remains optimistic about his team’s chances, saying, “In terms of human beings, it’s impossible to be at the same level for the whole season, but we need to learn things for the future.”