Chelsea Football Club has received a significant fitness boost as they prepare for their upcoming Premier League match against Aston Villa. The club has welcomed back England international, Cole Palmer, to training ahead of the Saturday night fixture.
Palmer was notably absent from Chelsea's most recent fixture on Tuesday night when the West Londoners faced Arsenal. Without their leading goalscorer, Chelsea suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of Mikel Arteta's Gunners who are currently in pursuit of their first Premier League title in two decades.
The game saw Arsenal take an early lead with Leandro Trossard's strike before half-time. The second half witnessed an unfortunate capitulation from Chelsea, with right-back Ben White and former Chelsea player Kai Havertz both scoring twice. This left Mauricio Pochettino’s side without any points from the contest.
However, following this harrowing defeat at Emirates Stadium, there is some positive news for Chelsea fans regarding Palmer’s fitness status.
Aston Villa also desperately need win for CL dream
After missing out on the North London trip due to his injury, Palmer has been seen back in training with his Blues teammates ahead of Saturday’s match against Unai Emery's Aston Villa.
Aston Villa is enjoying a productive campaign so far and is close to securing a Champions League spot ahead of fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur. They are also competing on the continental stage during these final weeks of term with a Europa Conference League semi-final against Olympiacos scheduled for early May.
While it remains unclear whether Palmer will be fit enough to start at Villa Park contest, Pochettino is expected to provide an update during Friday’s pre-match media conference.
Cole Palmer huge for Chelsea's aspirations
In light of Chelsea's recent performance against Arsenal without their star player, head coach Pochettino challenged his available players to prove that they do not play for 'Cole Palmer Football Club'.
However, the Blues' performance at Emirates on Tuesday did little to dispel these allegations. The team suffered their heaviest defeat against the Gunners and experienced their worst London derby since the 1980s.
Since transferring from Manchester City in the summer, Palmer has been a standout performer for Chelsea during what has been a challenging period in Premier League history. The 21-year-old has scored an impressive 20 goals and provided nine assists in just 29 top-flight appearances so far this season. Only Erling Haaland matches Palmer's league goalscoring numbers, further highlighting his importance to Chelsea's campaign.
As Chelsea prepares for its upcoming Premier League clash with Aston Villa, the return of Cole Palmer provides a much-needed boost. His potential participation could be pivotal in helping Chelsea regain their footing after recent setbacks.
