Cole Palmer is a doubt for Chelsea라이브 바카라 visit to Arsenal on Tuesday with Mauricio Pochettino confirming the Premier League라이브 바카라 joint-top scorer is likely to miss the game at the Emirates Stadium with illness. (More Football News)
The 21-year-old did not train on Monday following his side라이브 바카라 FA Cup semi-final defeat to Manchester City on Saturday, a loss that left them needing to secure a top-seven finish in the league if they are to end their year-long absence from European competition.
The England international has been the standout player of an indifferent season for Chelsea, with seven goals in the team라이브 바카라 last two home games having rocketed him to the top of the scoring charts alongside City striker Erling Haaland.
He has frequently been the decisive factor when the team have performed well, helping Pochettino라이브 바카라 side throw off the creative inertia that blunted their attack last season and in the early weeks of the current campaign.
A win against Mikel Arteta라이브 바카라 title-chasers would put the Argentinian라이브 바카라 side level on points with sixth-placed Newcastle, with a top-six finish likely to be enough for a Europa League berth.
However, the size of their task – already a daunting one with Arsenal on a run of 11 league wins in their last 13 – grew on Monday with the fear that Palmer will likely miss out, while full-backs Ben Chilwell and Malo Gusto are also doubts.
“We need to assess (Tuesday) morning,” said Pochettino of Palmer라이브 바카라 chances. “Today, no, I don’t believe he can be involved. Even if he will be good tomorrow, he may not be in a condition to play.
“With and without him, we believe that we can win. The most important thing is the collective. Of course he라이브 바카라 an important part of the team. He라이브 바카라 doing fantastic for us. But we have plenty of players that can perform and do the job.”
Pochettino defended the contributions of striker Nicolas Jackson on his debut season for the club, after he missed multiple opportunities against City to put Chelsea in the final.
The 22-year-old has improved significantly in recent weeks after struggling in the aftermath of his £32million summer move from Villarreal but three times at Wembley he failed to make the most of clear openings.
Pochettino has been forced to rely on the player – who has scored 10 goals in the league – far more than the club had intended, with fellow signing Christopher Nkunku having been limited by injury to a handful of appearances since joining from RB Leipzig.
“First season is always difficult but more when you are a striker and you have to perform and score goals. Everyone expects with every single touch to score,” Pochettino added. “He라이브 바카라 our main striker, the only striker we have fit.
“He라이브 바카라 doing fantastic. He라이브 바카라 doing an amazing job for the team; running, scoring goals, giving assists. His first season, a young guy, came in from Spain, even with not too much experience there.
“If we want the player to match the iconic players here, if we compare him with Drogba, obviously he라이브 바카라 going to lose.
“But he라이브 바카라 going to have all my support. Even if he doesn’t score, the way that he라이브 바카라 fighting for the club and his team-mates, he라이브 바카라 producing chances. He needs time to improve. He’ll be better next season for sure, no doubt about that.”
