SQUAD UPDATE: COLE PALMER SET FOR BURNLEY RETURN AFTER TACTICAL REST VS HULL
Cole Palmer is back! Discover the latest Chelsea injury news on Lavia, Colwill, and Cucurella ahead of the Burnley clash.
Chelsea are back in Premier League action, and if you’ve followed them lately, you know what that means: a mix of hope and nerves. Sure, they just cruised past Hull City in the FA Cup, smashing four past them and cooling the sting of letting Leeds off the hook with that 2-2 draw. But look a little deeper, and the real story is the same as ever: who’s fit and who’s not.
Liam Rosenior’s team holds fifth place right now, two points ahead of Liverpool and six behind Aston Villa in third. For once, they’ve had a whole week off, thanks to dodging a Champions League playoff. That gave the manager a bit of breathing room to get his team in order. Now Burnley are on the horizon, a solid chance to lock in their position, but also a reminder that injuries are still shaping everything.
Palmer Gets a Breather as Squad Rotates
People were surprised when Cole Palmer didn’t even make the squad against Hull. He’d scored four goals in his last two games, so most figured he’d start. Instead, Rosenior left him out not because of any injury but just to manage his workload.
“Managing him,” Rosenior said. “Great to see Reece James back out there. Great for him to get his 60 minutes.
“I wanted Enzo Fernandez to play 45 minutes with Moi Caicedo, but in the end, Moi stayed on for 60. I’m happy they all came through fine. For the first time in ages, we’ve got a full week to get ready for Burnley.”
So, no drama – Palmer should be back against Burnley at Stamford Bridge. He’s been crucial to Chelsea’s attack, and giving him a rest now is all about the big picture.
Cucurella’s Fitness Still Up in the Air
Marc Cucurella’s situation feels murkier. He had to come off at halftime against Leeds with a hamstring issue and then missed the Hull game. In a squad that’s constantly changing, his steady presence has mattered.
Rosenior kept it honest: “Right now, he’s not fit. It’s a hamstring thing. I can’t give you a timeline yet.”
Unless he’s back in full training, Burnley looks like a long shot. Arsenal the week after seems more likely. With everything Chelsea is aiming for, managing muscle injuries is non-negotiable.
Then there’s Jamie Gittens, whose hamstring tear against West Ham is a bigger blow. He’s set for a long spell out.
“Jamie’s out longer term,” Rosenior said. “That’s tough for him. I haven’t worked with him long, but I know his career and how good he is. We’ll miss him.”
That knocks out a key option out wide and limits how flexible Chelsea can be tactically.
Lavia and Colwill Offer Hope for Later
Romeo Lavia’s recovery is a bright spot. He’s been out since hurting his thigh in the Qarabag draw back in November, but he’s training again.
“We have a really detailed plan for him,” Rosenior said before the Leeds match. “He’s been with us the last couple of days. It’s great to see him back. But we want to make sure that when he returns, he stays fit.
“So we’re giving him the right plan for the next ten days or so.”
They’re eyeing March for his return. Chelsea has missed his calmness in midfield, especially when games get tight.
Levi Colwill, still working back from a serious knee injury in preseason, is making progress too. Rosenior is optimistic but doesn’t want to jinx it.
“Yes, he could be back before the season ends, but it’s step by step. I don’t want to make promises I can’t keep,” he said.
“Levi’s is in a good place. He’s working hard. I talked to him this morning; he’s itching to come back, but we need to be sure he’s 100 per cent. He’s a great professional, and I can’t wait to have him back. But I’m not putting a date on it; health comes first.”
May is realistic for Colwill. If he makes it back in time, he could have a big say in how Chelsea finishes the season.
Elsewhere, Filip Jorgensen is still on the rehab trail after a muscle injury, and Dario Essugo faces over a month out after a training mishap.
When you look at Chelsea’s injury list, it sums up their season as a constant balancing act between keeping players healthy and building momentum. Burnley’s up next, and it’s another chance to make a statement. But the line between moving forward and running into trouble is razor-thin.
XAVI OPENLY DECLARES INTEREST IN CHELSEA JOB DURING PERMANENT MANAGER SEARCH
With Xabi Alonso and Andoni Iraola on the shortlist, explore why Xavi Hernández wants to take over the Chelsea hotseat next.
Xavi has openly said he’d love to manage Chelsea, and now the Blues are hunting for someone to replace Liam Rosenior.
Rosenior got the sack last month after a rough patch just three months into his huge contract that was supposed to last six and a half years. Calum McFarlane is filling in as interim head coach until season’s end, but Chelsea are actively looking for a permanent boss for the 2026/27 campaign.
They're considering some big names. Xabi Alonso’s been mentioned; he’s been out of work since leaving Real Madrid in January. Andoni Iraola, who’s about to leave Bournemouth, is also on the shortlist.
Cesc Fabregas has been linked after his strong run at Como, and Frank Lampard’s in the mix too, fresh off winning the Championship with Coventry and securing promotion.
But Xavi really stands out. He’s already made it clear he’s interested in the Chelsea job. Back in 2019, before his Barcelona return, he said, “I don’t hide it; my goal is to come back to Europe and to Barca. It's my challenge, but I’m enjoying this current project. For me, training a team in Barcelona would be a privilege, the biggest privilege.”
He didn’t just talk about Spain either. “Honestly, who doesn’t love the Premier League? The atmosphere, packed stadiums, everyone says it’s incredible,” Xavi admitted. “If I had to pick, I’d go for a big team: City, United, Chelsea, Arsenal, or Tottenham. Klopp, Pochettino, and Unai Emery are doing amazing work there.”
After returning to Barcelona in 2021, Xavi led them to a La Liga title and the Supercopa de España before Hansi Flick took over in 2024. He’s been out of work since.
Now, Chelsea seems seriously interested in the Spaniard. According to The i, the club wants someone who can embed a strong football identity across their teams, something Enzo Maresca started.
Getting Xavi won’t be easy, though. Morocco’s national team reportedly sees him as a top candidate to replace Walid Regragui, and Manchester United is eyeing him too as they weigh options beyond Michael Carrick.
Meanwhile, Xabi Alonso is the bookmakers’ favourite for the Chelsea role, but word is he’d want more control over club decisions if he moves to west London.
COLE PALMER MISSES PENALTY AS CHELSEA SUFFER HISTORIC SIXTH CONSECUTIVE LEAGUE DEFEAT
Chelsea matched a 1912 record with their 6th straight loss, falling 3-1 to Forest as Taiwo Awoniyi scored twice at the Bridge.
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Chelsea hit rock bottom again, losing 3-1 to Nottingham Forest at Stamford Bridge. That’s six Premier League defeats in a row now, something the club hadn’t seen since 1912. Just when you thought the season couldn’t get any worse, Forest showed up with a makeshift lineup and absolutely stunned them. Taiwo Awoniyi scored twice, one barely a minute into the match, and then Igor Jesus put away a penalty, and suddenly Forest was six points clear of the drop zone.
Chelsea hadn’t scored in five games, and it looked like that streak would go on forever. Then, in stoppage time, Joao Pedro finally managed an overhead kick to break the drought. That run was made even more ridiculous earlier when Cole Palmer missed a first-half penalty. Matz Sels, Forest’s backup goalkeeper, saved it.
Honestly, the crowd in the Shed End probably barely recognised their own team. Pereira swapped in seven new outfield players, most of them with almost no league experience; he was clearly thinking about the upcoming Europa League semi-final. But it looked like Chelsea was the stranger out there.
Things only got worse for interim head coach Calum McFarlane. He lost Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho to late injuries, so 18-year-old Jesse Derry had to make his Premier League debut. Then, late in the first half, Derry collided heads with Forest’s Zach Abbott and had to be stretchered off after getting oxygen. It was brutal to watch.
The match itself? Chaos. Less than two minutes in, Chelsea messed up their own throw-in and let Forest stroll through midfield. Dilane Bakwa beat Marc Cucurella with little effort and crossed to Awoniyi, who was completely unmarked and headed it in.
Fifteen minutes later, Chelsea conceded again. Bakwa whipped in another cross; Malo Gusto pulled Awoniyi’s shirt, and VAR handed Forest a penalty. Jesus hammered it right down the middle.
The first half was hopeless, and by the end, serious concern set in after that nasty head clash between Derry and Abbott. Abbott, playing just his second league game, left on his own, but Derry needed serious treatment and was stretchered off.
After a nearly ten-minute stoppage, Palmer’s penalty was stopped by Sels. At halftime, Levi Colwill returned from a major injury he hadn’t played since tearing his ACL in August. He tried to restore order, but nothing changed.
Forest’s third goal came just seven minutes into the second half. Gibbs-White crossed, and Awoniyi tapped in from close range, just managing to stay onside. Chelsea’s keeper, Robert Sanchez, took a knock and left with a bandaged head after colliding with Gibbs-White.
Pedro’s late goal barely counted for anything. The few Chelsea fans left in the stadium cheered, but it was more out of irony than joy.
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