Chelsea boss confirms Palmer injury as they suffer another Arsenal setback | OneFootball

Enzo Maresca admitted Chelsea struggled early as Arsenal secured a 1-0 win, with injuries exposing their attacking frailties.

Despite that, he insists his side is “very close” to competing at the top.

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Enzo Maresca admitted his side struggled to impose themselves early on as Chelsea suffered a 1-0 defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates, with Mikel Merino’s first-half header proving decisive.

The Blues failed to pose a consistent attacking threat in the absence of key players, and Maresca acknowledged the challenge of competing without his top scorers.

“I think we struggled a little bit at the beginning,” Maresca said in his post-match press conference. “The first 20 minutes, we struggled a little bit, but after that, we started to control the game and created some chances. In the second half, the game was 50/50 and for me, the biggest difference was the set-piece strategy.”

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Chelsea’s away form has been a concern for them, with Maresca admitting they must improve on the road to achieve their ambitions.

“At the beginning of the season, we were winning games away and struggled at home. Now it’s the other side. We are there, for sure, we need to improve away but overall I think we are good.”

The Blues were without Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson, and Noni Madueke, their three most prolific attackers this season, and Maresca conceded their absence was significant.

“It’s a huge difference,” he said. “Not one of them was on the pitch today. For two of them, they have already been out a long time, so it is normal that offensively we struggle a little bit, even if – until today – we are the second or the third best attacking team in the league.

“That means in any case we are doing well without those players but we could do better with the players that are injured at the moment.”

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Chelsea have not beaten Arsenal since 2021, but Maresca insisted the gap between the two teams is smaller than results suggest.

“I don’t see a big difference between us and them,” he said, seemingly unaware that Arsenal are also without a host of key attacking players. “Since I arrived, I have the feeling we are on the right path and we are very close. We just need that step forward to compete in these kinds of games. That step comes with finishing in the top four, top five, Champions League spot.”

Cole Palmer’s late withdrawal from the squad was another blow for his side, and Maresca does not expect him to be available for England during the international break.

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“His injury was from yesterday’s session – it’s a muscle problem, so I don’t think so,” he said. “He needs a scan and the scan is planned for tomorrow [Monday]. I hope he will be back after the break, but we need to wait.

“We don’t wish players injured but in Cole’s case, in this moment, it will give him some rest physically and mentally. It could be good.”

Despite the defeat, Maresca also defended the performances of Jadon Sancho and Christopher Nkunku, who stepped in to provide Chelsea’s attacking threat but managed just one shot between them.

“Jadon did quite well, Christo also,” he said. “I didn’t have the feeling they can do something better. For sure, we can create and attack better as a team.”

The defeat leaves Chelsea nine points behind Arsenal, who strengthened their grip on a Champions League spot.