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COLE PALMER'S RETURN: CHELSEA STAR CLEARED FOR LEEDS COMEBACK

Chelsea, six points behind Arsenal, welcomes back Cole Palmer for a crucial match. Enzo Fernandez insists the team is still in the title race alongside Liverpool and both Manchester clubs.

Cole Palmer's Return: Chelsea Star Cleared for Leeds Comeback
Palmer's Toe Break Delay Ends Against Leeds

Chelsea's Cole Palmer is set to return to action against Leeds this week after being out for two months, says manager Enzo Maresca. Palmer hasn't played since the loss to Manchester United on September 20. Though he was on the bench against Arsenal this past weekend, he didn't play, as the team is easing him back in.

Palmer's Comeback

Palmer's been out due to an injury since the United game, but made it back to the bench for the Arsenal match. Even though Moises Caicedo's red card might have stopped Palmer from playing, he’s now expected to play against Leeds on Wednesday. His return from a groin problem was planned for last week, but he broke his toe in a strange accident at home, pushing his comeback back. But now, Maresca has confirmed he’s ready for the Elland Road game.

Maresca Speaks

Maresca told reporters that Palmer is ready to play, mentioning that he was on the bench last game. He noted that Palmer needs to get back into shape and that the plan is to slowly increase his playing time until he can play a full 90 minutes.

Maresca also mentioned that he has a tough call to make about Reece James's selection, saying he'd like to start him but needs to make the right decision.

When asked if James could play in the midfield, Maresca said he thought James could play in both positions, as he spent his career as a full-back but also played in the midfield. The decision depends on the game plan and whether they need more strength in the middle.

Chelsea's Title Chase

Chelsea and Manchester City are close behind Arsenal in the Premier League, and they managed a 1-1 draw against the leaders this weekend, even with Caicedo's red card.

Midfielder Enzo Fernandez thinks they're in the title race, telling GiveMeSport that there are many teams in the running, like Liverpool and both Manchester clubs.

He added that the Premier League is competitive, especially with Arsenal doing well and Liverpool being a great team. He thinks the Champions League will be tough, but the team will aim for the final.

Fernandez also talked about why he joined Chelsea, saying he wanted to move to the Premier League and didn't hesitate when Chelsea made an offer.

What's Next?

Chelsea will play Leeds this week and is six points behind Arsenal before this week's games. They also play Bournemouth this weekend, hoping to close the gap.

Arsenal faces Brentford this week in a London derby and then plays Aston Villa this weekend. Arsenal also has a game against Club Brugge a few days after the Villa match, whereas Chelsea plays Atalanta on Tuesday.

WHY WAS COLE PALMER SUBBED? THE REAL REASON BEHIND THE STAMFORD BRIDGE BOOS

Fans booed as Cole Palmer was subbed in Chelsea's draw with Bournemouth. Learn why Maresca was absent and what’s next for the Blues.

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Managing Cole Palmer’s return

After Chelsea's 2-2 tie with Bournemouth, assistant coach Willy Caballero defended the choice to sub off Cole Palmer, even though fans at Stamford Bridge were angry about Enzo Maresca's move.

Fans booed, yelling, You don't know what you're doing! when Palmer—who'd been one of the team's better players—was taken out in the 63rd minute. The home team was trying to score and break their bad Premier League streak at the time.

Chelsea has only won one of their last seven league games. Caballero said afterward that head coach Enzo Maresca, who wasn't there for the post-game interviews due to illness, is still a role model for everyone at the club.

Still, the pressure is on the coach after yet another result slipped away. Chelsea has now lost 13 points at home from winning positions.

The mood got especially sour when Palmer, who just came back from an injury, was taken off in the second half.

Every fan wants the best players on the field, Caballero said. We do, too. But Cole is coming back from a long injury. So we have to figure out the best substitutions to win the game while also keeping our players healthy. We need them for the entire season.

Caballero said about Maresca's absence, "He hasn't been feeling well for the past two days." He had a fever two days ago. He did the last two practices because he wanted to get the team ready. But after the game, he went to the locker room and asked me to fill in because he wasn't feeling well.

He's handling it well and is very professional. He puts in a lot of hours every day, even when he wasn't feeling well the last two days. He loves to train and coach. He's a role model for me and the rest of the staff.

Bournemouth took the lead after six minutes when David Brooks scored on his second try after Robert Sanchez made a save. Then, Palmer scored a penalty to tie the game for Chelsea.

Next, Enzo Fernandez put the home team ahead, but the Blues couldn't hold on to their lead again. Justin Kluivert tied the score before halftime after Chelsea failed to handle a long throw-in from Antoine Semenyo.

There's been a lot of talk that this would be Semenyo's last game for Bournemouth before he moves to Manchester City soon. Before leaving the field, he seemed to say goodbye to the fans who had traveled to see the game.

Still, head coach Andoni Iraola was sure he'd play against Arsenal on Saturday.

It's not his last game here with us, he said. I can't say for sure, but I think he'll play.

He needs to rest. We've played two tough games in three days. We have Arsenal at home, so we're getting ready for another one, a tough game against the leaders. He's going to be important for us.

BREAKING: ENZO MARESCA SKIPS MEDIA AS CHELSEA CRISIS DEEPENS! GET THE HEALTH UPDATE

Enzo Maresca missed the post-match media due to a fever after Chelsea's 2-2 draw. Willy Caballero provides an urgent update on his health.

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Chelsea's winless run continues as Maresca falls ill

Enzo Maresca skipped media interviews after Chelsea's 2-2 tie with Bournemouth because he was sick.

The Blues coach was supposed to chat after his team snagged a point against Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night.

But right before he was about to talk about the game, news dropped that Maresca wasn't feeling good.

So, his assistant, Willy Caballero, stepped in to handle things in west London.

Caballero shared an update on Maresca: He's been under the weather for a couple of days, Caballero said. He had a fever two days ago.

After the game, he went to the locker room and asked me to fill in for him since he wasn't feeling well.

Caballero was asked if he'd be in charge against Manchester City on Sunday, like he was against Villa during Maresca's suspension.

"I'm not sure," he said. I just want Enzo to get better. I think he'll be fine in a day or two.

The draw with Bournemouth means Chelsea has only won one of their last seven Premier League games.

Fans were clearly annoyed during the second half when Cole Palmer was subbed out for Joao Pedro.

Palmer just got back to playing regularly after a groin injury, but some Chelsea fans wondered why he was taken out.

About the boos, Caballero said, "Of course, every fan wants their best players on the field, and so do we."

But Cole is coming off a long injury, so we have to figure out the right subs for the game and also look out for our players since we didn't have him for a while.

Chelsea and Bournemouth had a boring 0-0 draw in their previous match earlier in the month.

But the game at Stamford Bridge was totally different, with Bournemouth taking the lead early on through David Brooks.

Palmer leveled the score with a penalty, and then Enzo Fernandez blasted a shot into the top corner to put Chelsea ahead.

But Chelsea failed to defend a long throw for the second time, allowing Justin Kluivert to score for Bournemouth.

After playing City, Chelsea will face their west London rivals Fulham before an FA Cup game away against Charlton Athletic.

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