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Chelsea will hope to end a four-game winless run when they host Everton on Saturday with Enzo Maresca's men having slipped down to fifth in the Premier League table
Chelsea will be looking to arrest their recent slump when they host Everton in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.
The Blues have failed to win since beating Barcelona 3-0 in the Champions League on November 25. Enzo Maresca's side have been given a boost, however, with Cole Palmer available this weekend after being absent from Wednesday night's loss to Atalanta in Europe.
Palmer was left out of the squad that suffered defeat in Italy during midweek as part of his rehabilitation process. The England international has featured in just six matches across all competitions for Maresca's team, with a groin problem sidelining him since September.
He featured in the goalless stalemate at Bournemouth last weekend following his comeback in the reverse at Leeds United. After skipping training on Monday, football.london understands that his midweek omission formed part of a managed return to action.
Now, ahead of Everton's visit to Stamford Bridge this weekend, Maresca has confirmed Palmer will be ready to participate. He said: "Yes, he is okay.
"He is better, he is available at the moment with one more session available. He finished the session with us with a mixed feeling but he is okay."
Maresca also delivered encouraging updates on Wesley Fofana. The defender entered the fray at half-time in Bergamo before being withdrawn with an eye problem in the second period, with Maresca confirming the centre-half had completed Thursday's training session and is "fine".
However, Chelsea's striking options remain restricted. Liam Delap's disappointing start to life in west London is set to persist for several weeks on the treatment table after he hurt his shoulder against Bournemouth.
Romeo Lavia is another Chelsea player battling persistent injury woes. Since his £53million switch from Southampton in 2023, the midfielder has managed just 29 appearances, with the problem picked up in the Champions League draw at Qarabag in November being the latest to sideline him.
"It's a muscle problem," Maresca said last week. "We don't know yet when he can be back." When questioned whether Lavia would be a short-term or long-term absentee, he added: "We don't know."
Fellow midfielder Dario Essugo is also sidelined after sustaining a thigh injury whilst representing Portugal Under-21s in September. A comeback later this year or early 2026 is anticipated, though the precise timeframe remains unclear.
"For sure, he [Essugo] is not available for the next three games," Maresca said. "I don't think [it is serious]. We need to check him, as it happened yesterday. Unfortunately, it was just yesterday, so I don't know."
Levi Colwill has not featured for Chelsea at all this season after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury during pre-season in August. He went under the knife and reports indicate that he has been making good progress.
Here, football.london predicts the squad Maresca will have available to him against the Toffees this weekend;
Goalkeepers: Filip Jorgensen, Max Merrick, Robert Sanchez
Defenders: Josh Acheampong, Tosin Adarabioyo, Benoit Badiashile, Trevoh Chalobah, Marc Cucurella, Wesley Fofana, Malo Gusto, Jorrel Hato, Reece James
Midfielders: Cole Palmer, Facundo Buonanotte, Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, Andrey Santos,
Forwards: Alejandro Garnacho, Tyrique George, Jamie Gittens, Marc Guiu, Pedro Neto, Joao Pedro, Estevao Willian
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