Chelsea interim boss Calum McFarlane has thrown his support behind Cole Palmer, backing the attacker to play a decisive role as the Blues push through the final stretch of the campaign.
After bursting into life following his move from Manchester City, Palmer’s current season has been disrupted by injuries.
However, in classic attacking fashion, he is now building momentum again: returning off the bench in the FA Cup semi-final win over Leeds United at Wembley.
Now, as Chelsea prepare to face Nottingham Forest, McFarlane believes the creative spark is ready to ignite once more.
“It’s been a difficult period for Cole,” McFarlane admitted. “He’s had the first injury that he’s pretty much ever had in his career and he’s had to learn how to deal with that.
“I think there are obviously games where he can impact more, but there have also been a lot of occasions when he’s created a lot of good chances for players, and he can’t control whether they’re finished.
“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. I’m really pleased with Cole.
“He shows us his talent every single day, his energy and his enthusiasm to play, and he’s still a top player, one of the best in the world for me.
“So I have no concerns over Cole being ready to impact games from now to the end of the season and, hopefully, in the World Cup in big moments for England.”
Meanwhile, McFarlane’s belief in Palmer is rooted in long-term observation.
Having seen him rise through the academy ranks at City, the Chelsea boss insists the same fearless style remains intact—only now on a bigger stage.
“In my first season at City, Cole was in the Under-21s, and 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.
“There’s not much difference, in all honesty. He’s the same person, he plays the game with the same freedom.
“We’ve all watched Cole Palmer enough to see the freedom that he plays the game with, and he sees things that other people don’t see.
“It was very similar then, he’s just doing it at a higher level, against a higher level of opposition, now, but very much the same type of player.”
As the Premier League run-in intensifies, Chelsea will be hoping Palmer can turn flashes into full-blown match-winning displays.
With momentum building again, all eyes now turn to Stamford Bridge, where the No.10 has another chance to stamp his authority on the season.
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