Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca explains why Cole Palmer did not play in the Carabao Cup defeat to Newcastle. Despite being an unused substitute, Palmer's absence was attributed to the strong performance of Joao Felix and Christopher Nkunku, as Chelsea suffered a 2-0 loss in the tournament.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has explained his decision to leave Cole Palmer on the bench during the Blues’ 2-0 defeat to Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup. Palmer remained an unused substitute as goals from Alexander Isak and an own goal by Axel Disasi led to Chelsea's exit from the competition at St James’ Park.
Maresca made just one substitution in the match, opting to bring on Noni Madueke in the second half. When questioned about his choice not to field Palmer, the manager highlighted the performance of Joao Felix and Christopher Nkunku as the reason for his decision.
Maresca stated, "No, no, no. Simply because I think Joao and Christo were doing very well. The reason why [we brought him] was in case we needed Cole, but Joao and Christo were doing well so there was no need to change." The defeat marks another setback for Chelsea as they aim to improve their performance in domestic competitions this season. With the manager’s faith in his starting players, it remains to be seen how Palmer will feature in upcoming matches as Chelsea looks to bounce back from this disappointment and regain their competitive edge.
