Why Cole Palmer Was Substituted vs Man United – Chelsea Coach Explains

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has explained why he took off Cole Palmer during their 2-1 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford.

It was Chelsea’s first Premier League loss of the season, in a match full of drama. Goalkeeper Robert Sanchez was shown a straight red card early in the game for stopping a clear goal chance.

Speaking after the match, Maresca admitted the red card ruined Chelsea’s game plan.

“For me, it was simple,” he said. “After three or four minutes, everything changed. The red card made the match difficult — not just for Chelsea, but for any team.”

After the red card, Maresca quickly made changes, taking off Estevão Willian and Pedro Neto. Not long after, Cole Palmer was also substituted.

Many fans were surprised to see Palmer come off so early, but Maresca revealed the reason: Palmer wasn’t fully fit.

“Cole has had a groin problem for a while. He really wanted to play this game, so he did a test this morning and said he felt ready,” Maresca explained.

“But after 20 minutes, he felt some discomfort, so we had to take him off. The effort he made was huge, and I respect that.”

Despite his condition, Maresca praised Palmer’s commitment to help the team by trying to play.