Cole Palmer has received the backing of Chelsea interim manager Calum McFarlane amidst fans claim that the England international has been awful this season.
Palmer, 23, has endured a stop-start campaign thanks to injury, scoring just five goals from open play in 29 games. The England international has seen his place in the national team questioned, with Thomas Tuchel set to make a huge decision.
The former Manchester City playmaker has also had three different managers this season, with both Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior being sacked within four months of each other.
Now in charge of the team, McFarlane doesn’t agree with the ‘narrative’ that Palmer isn’t playing well.
“In my first season at City, Cole was in the under-21s,” McFarlane recalled ahead of Monday’s clash with Nottingham Forest. “He was literally just on the brink of breaking into the first-team.
“So, I hadn’t worked with Cole previously, other than watching him dominate under-21s football and then break into the first-team. It’s been a difficult period for Cole. He’s had his first injury that he’s pretty much ever had in his career, and he’s had to learn how to deal with that.
“I don’t agree with the narrative that he isn’t playing well. I think there are games where he can impact more. But there’s also been a lot of occasions where he’s created a lot of good chances for players. He can’t control whether that’s finished [off], he can just put the ball in the position that he needs it to be.
“I do think he’s had some really good games in the last three months, and it’s just a case of building that consistency. So, I’m really pleased with Cole. He shows us his talent every single day, his energy and his enthusiasm to play.”
Cole Palmer has struggled with injuries this season. (Photo by Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
Aside his injury problem this season, Palmer has also been rumoured to be considering a move away from Chelsea. But the playmaker, contracted until 2033, recently poured cold water on links to Manchester United.
“Everyone just talks,” Palmer told the Guardian. “When I see it, I just laugh.” He added: “I’ve got no plans to move from Chelsea. We’ve still got a lot to play for. We’ve got the FA Cup and if we finish in a Champions League spot, it puts us in a good position to sign players that we need.”
