Liam Rosenior explained why Cole Palmer didn’t feature as Chelsea beat Crystal Palace 3-1 to climb into the Premier League top four.

Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior has clarified why Cole Palmer was absent from Sunday’s Premier League clash against Crystal Palace, despite expectations that the midfielder would return to the starting line-up. 

Palmer did not feature in the midweek fixture vs Pafos and now, he wasn’t included in the squad that played at Selhurst Park as the Blues claimed a convincing 3-1 victory to strengthen their push for a top-four finish.

The England international has endured a frustrating season disrupted by injury, making just 10 league starts so far.

Speaking to the media, Rosenior revealed that Palmer was still not fully fit and insisted caution was the right approach. “Unfortunately for us, Cole’s not quite right for this one,” the Chelsea boss explained. “We want to make sure every player is 100 per cent. There’s no use risking players in January for what we want to achieve.”

Rosenior added that Palmer is dealing with a slight thigh problem and stressed the decision was purely preventative. “He’s got a little niggle in his thigh, he’s not quite 100 per cent, but he’s got a chance for Wednesday, hopefully he’s back for then,” he said, playing down concerns over any long-term issue.

Chelsea showed their depth by coping comfortably without their talisman, scoring through Estevão Willian, João Pedro and Enzo Fernández. 

Rosenior praised Estevao saying “He’s a player with special abilities, special talent. What makes me so happy is all 11 men ⁠are back behind the ball. That’s why he gets the space… ‌I thought it was a top team performance away from home.”

João Pedro praised the team’s resilience after the match, admitting the contest was demanding. “We knew this would be a tough game. We fought for second balls and kept going with intensity. When we scored the second goal, we could breathe a bit and see the game out.”