‘Best in the World'-Exciting Cole Palmer Prediction Sets Chelsea Up for Grand Finale

Chelsea interim manager Calum McFarlane has moved to defend Cole Palmer, insisting the narrative around his performances this season is unfair as he backed the Blues' talisman to explode in time for the World Cup.

After his breakout year in 2023–24, the English midfielder has struggled to match those heights. The current campaign has been particularly challenging for Palmer, who was diagnosed with a troublesome groin injury in just the second week of the season and has been battling to overcome it ever since.

His return of 10 goals across all competitions is well below the 18 he managed last season and falls comfortably short of the 27 racked up under Mauricio Pochettino, but McFarlane insisted a drop in performance is not behind Palmer's decreased numbers.

"It's been a difficult period for Cole," McFarlane stressed. "He's had his first injury that he's pretty much ever had in his career and he's had to learn how to deal with that.

"I don't agree with the narrative that he isn't playing well. There are obviously games where he can impact more but there have also been a lot of occasions where he's created a lot of good chances for players. He can't control whether that's finished.

"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. He's still a top, top player, one of the best in the world. 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."

Has Palmer Been Playing Poorly?

Palmer's statistics do not make for comfortable reading.

From 42 goal contributions in his debut season and 32 in Enzo Maresca's first year, Palmer has contributed to just 13 goals across all competitions this season, with his one Premier League assist particularly disappointing. Of his nine goals in the league, five have come from penalties.

As McFarlane points out, the impact of his groin injury cannot be overstated. Palmer was diagnosed with pubalgia after pulling out of the warm-up before the second game of the season, and he admitted as recently as April that he was only just starting to feel comfortable shooting again. Sprinting was also a challenge for the 23-year-old.

That discomfort has clearly spread to multiple areas of Palmer's game. He is still creating 1.23 chances per 90 minutes on the pitch, although 78 players across the division have offered more, including five Chelsea teammates.

It is not necessarily that Palmer is playing badly, but the volume of his productivity has clearly dropped and Chelsea fans are eager to see their young star running games from start to finish once again.

Navigating fitness problems and the change in tactics that came under Liam Rosenior has clearly not been easy for Palmer, who will hope for some sort of stability under an interim boss who has made it clear he is ready to lean on Maresca's principles to help get Chelsea over the line.

Chelsea's dreams of qualifying for the Champions League have not yet completely faded, with a back door to the competition through Aston Villa winning the Europa League and finishing fifth still entirely feasible, while the Blues are also preparing to lock horns with Manchester City in the FA Cup final.

The opportunities are there for Palmer to command the spotlight over the next month, with England manager Thomas Tuchel certain to be watching closely ahead of the World Cup.

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This story was originally published May 4, 2026 at 6:05 AM.