Enzo Maresca backs Chelsea talisman Cole Palmer to rediscover goalscoring touch ahead of Southampton clash | OneFootball

Cole Palmer’s goal drought has sent alarm bells ringing around Chelsea and the entire Premier League.

However, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca isn’t among those worried about the Englishman’s barren spell.

The England international hasn’t scored in the Premier League since combining with Nicolas Jackson to open the scoring in the 2-2 draw against Bournemouth in mid-January.

He also hasn’t weighed in with an assist since Chelsea’s 3-0 victory over Aston Villa back in December 1, which further highlights how his output has dipped.

Palmer’s drought has coincided with Chelsea’s dip in form, but Maresca is convinced the 22-year-old will come good sooner rather than later.

“No, I’m not concerned,” Maresca said in his pre-match press conference when asked whether Palmer’s form is a concern.

“I’m always concerned about general performances, but I’m not concerned about Cole because Cole is a human being, and during the season, he can have some moments where he struggles a little bit more.

“The problem is with Cole, we rely on Cole for everything, and I’ve said from the start, we need to rely on the team.

“For sure, we need big players, top players like Cole, but we are not worried about Cole at all.”

Despite failing to get on the score sheet or set up a teammate, Palmer remains Chelsea’s chief creator, and his numbers suggest he’d bounce back from the dry spell in no time.

He has notched 14 goals and six assists in 26 Premier League games while creating 19 big chances and averaging 2.7 key passes per 90 minutes.

The 2023/24 PFA Young Player of the Year will be hoping to end his goal drought when Chelsea host Premier League bottom-feeders Southampton at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night.

Maresca and his troops will be desperate to get back to winning ways after claiming just two wins from their last ten Premier League games.

The Blues will head into Tuesday’s fixture on the back of three consecutive defeats in all competitions, but a win against Southampton could relaunch their top-four hopes.