Cole Palmer experienced a difficult game, suffering from stomach cramps and missing his first professional penalty.
Despite feeling unwell for two days leading up to the match, the England player insisted on playing in the game against Leicester City.
Marc Cucurella’s goal in the second half secured a win against Leicester City, moving Chelsea back into the top four.
Palmer missed a penalty, his first miss in 15 attempts for club and country, saved by Mads Hermansen. He reportedly went to the toilet immediately after being substituted.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca commented, “Cole didn’t train on Saturday and felt unwell overnight.”
“This morning, he said he wanted to play to help the team reach the Champions League.”
Maresca added, “For the past two days, he was completely out with fever and diarrhoea.”
“Despite this, he asked to play, showing his dedication to bring the club to where it should be.”
Palmer’s missed penalty occurred after Jadon Sancho was fouled by Victor Kristiansen.
Maresca celebrated the win and mentioned that Leicester’s changed tactics required Chelsea to adjust their game plan just before the match.
Defender Cucurella’s winning goal was his fourth Premier League goal of the season for Chelsea.
Maresca also urged fans to be more supportive after some booing at half-time at Stamford Bridge, as Chelsea struggled against Leicester.
Maresca stated, “I am happy because we prepare for games by watching many of the opponent’s matches.”
“We expected Leicester to play with a line of four, but they used a line of five, making our preparations less effective.”
“I understand negative feelings, but we created many chances in the first half.”
“People need to understand our style of play. When a team creates as many chances as we did, you should be happy. Football is not like PlayStation; every game is challenging, and we need our fans’ support.”
Leicester is currently six points away from Premier League safety with ten games remaining.
Leicester boss Ruud van Nistelrooy commented, “The performance was good, with a lot of heart and spirit.”
“We are unsure if we have enough time to avoid relegation, but we are focused on today and tomorrow.”
