Chelsea Handed Injury Boost as Maresca Confirms Palmer Ready for Aston Villa Clash
Chelsea have received a major fitness boost ahead of their Premier League showdown with Aston Villa, with head coach Enzo Maresca confirming that Cole Palmer is ready to play a full 90 minutes if required.
Palmer, who has been carefully managed after dealing with groin discomfort, featured for 79 minutes in last weekend’s draw against Newcastle United as he continued his return to peak condition. Maresca revealed the England international has now progressed enough to handle a complete match.
“I think he’s ready for 90 minutes, yeah,” Maresca said. “The progression for a player is 45 minutes, one hour, 70. He already played more than 70 against Newcastle. I think the progression is there.”
The update comes as a significant lift for the Blues, especially after Maresca previously admitted Palmer could not yet handle playing twice a week.
Chelsea will also welcome back Estevão and Liam Delap, both declared fit for Saturday’s clash. Estevão had missed the last two games with a minor issue, while Delap has been sidelined since early December with what initially appeared to be a serious shoulder problem.
“He is back, he’s available for Saturday — him and also Liam Delap,” Maresca confirmed.
Midfielder Dário Essugo has returned to training following surgery, but Romeo Lavia remains unavailable after suffering a fresh muscle injury against Qarabag in the Champions League. Defender Levi Colwill is also still out as he continues his recovery from a long-term ACL injury picked up in pre-season.
Looking ahead, Chelsea face a packed London-heavy schedule, with nine of their next ten fixtures across all competitions taking place in the capital. They close out 2025 with home games against Aston Villa and Bournemouth.
Speculation around a January move for Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo was played down after Chelsea reportedly made an enquiry but decided not to pursue a deal. Maresca refused to be drawn into transfer talk.
“I’m focused on Aston Villa. Not on players who can arrive and leave. I’m in love with the squad we have,” he said.
After hosting Bournemouth, Chelsea travel to Manchester City before away trips to Fulham in the league and Charlton in the FA Cup. A run of fixtures against Arsenal, Brentford and Pafos follows, before clashes with Crystal Palace and Antonio Conte’s Napoli round off January.
With key players returning and Palmer back to full strength, Chelsea head into the Villa game buoyed by renewed optimism. 🔵
