Chelsea were left incensed late on against Manchester United in their 1-1 draw at Old Trafford yesterday.
There will already have been some frustration with the performance of a number of individuals on the pitch. Only really Moises Caicedo caught the eye of Enzo Maresca.
Cole Palmer may not have had his best performance, however he was left in a heap after a horror tackle from Lisandro Martinez late on.
Maresca approached the referee after the game to discuss the incident, although it did not change the fact that VAR did not see anything worthy of a red card offence.
Dermot Gallagher thinks Lisandro Martinez should not of been sent off for foul on Cole Palmer
Palmer is set to undergo a scan to see if he has evaded any serious injury, which is seriously worrying considering just how important he has been for Chelsea.
Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher however argued why the red card was not given to the Argentine.
He said: “I think he’s lucky. His starting position is so close to Palmer, because I think if he makes that challenge from distance, gathers speed and intensity, that’s where he’s really going to be in trouble.
“I think the fact that he’s so close to him, he doesn’t generate that force. It is fleeting contact.”
Enzo Maresca should look to Joao Felix if he needs to replace Palmer
Chelsea fans will be hoping and praying that Palmer’s issue is not too serious ahead of their massive Premier League game against Arsenal.
If he is not fit, Maresca should look to Joao Felix to fill the role, in what would be his first league start since returning to the club over the summer.
The Portugal international’s minutes this season have predominantly come in the cup competitions. Glenn Hoddle was impressed by Felix in the Conference League.
He is really waiting for his second stint at Chelsea to kick into gear, and a strong performance against a team the magnitude of Arsenal would really achieve that.
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