Chelsea have confirmed that English attacker Cole Palmer is ill and is a doubt for the game against Arsenal on Tuesday.
The Blues travel to Emirates Stadium tomorrow to face the Premier League leaders in the London derby and will be eager to bounce back from the disappointment of last weekend.
Arsenal FC Loading official content
Beth Mead’s brace secures Champions League spot
Beth Mead, Arsenal striker, scored two goals against Leicester and helped the Gunners clinch their Champions League spot next season.
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Loading ad
Continue watching
Chelsea lost the semi-final of the FA Cup to Manchester City and will be desperate to hand Arsenal a defeat on Tuesday, but their chances of doing so have suffered a huge blow.
🗣️ Mauricio Pochettino on whether Palmer will play against Arsenal: “We will see tomorrow. We need to assess tomorrow morning. Today, no. I don’t think he can be involved, and even if he is good tomorrow he may not be able to play.” https://t.co/q7ByTRsDZP
— Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) April 22, 2024
They are expected to be without Palmer, who has bagged 20 league goals and nine assists in 27 games, which comes as a boost for the Gunners.
Arsenal returned to winning ways following heartbreaking defeats to Aston Villa and Bayern Munich with a 2-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, and they know they cannot afford to drop further points if they want to win the title this season.
Palmer has unarguably been the best player at Chelsea this season, and his absence in the attacking third against Arsenal will most likely see the visitors struggle tomorrow.
A win against the Blues on Tuesday will see the Gunners temporarily go four points clear of Manchester City ahead of their two outstanding games, and it could be a boost for the North Londoners.
They return to action on Sunday with a trip to Tottenham Hotspur for another London derby, and they need to win both games to keep their title hopes alive.
