CHELSEA are checking on the condition of top-scorer Cole Palmer on Tuesday morning ahead of their London derby against Arsenal at the Emirates stadium tonight.
Blues boss Mauricio Pochettino doesn’t expect Palmer to play against Mikel Arteta’s league leaders.
Palmer played the full game as Chelsea lost 1-0 to Manchester City in their FA Cup semi-final at Wembley on Saturday, but the England international is struggling with illness.
“We will see [Tuesday] morning. Today, I don’t believe he can be involved,” Pochettino said on Monday in his pre-match press conference.
“Even if he is good [on Tuesday] maybe he is not in a condition to play. We hope he can recover from this situation and be involved with the team.”
In his pre-match media briefing, Gunners manager Mikel Arteta was asked about the potential absence of Palmer.
He said: “I have no control over that, only on my players who are available.
“Whatever [team] they put out there, when you look at the squad quality [what] they have is great.
“They are doing very well, they have good results recently and have been playing much better than their place in the table suggests.
“It will be a tough match, for sure.”
Arsenal could go three points clear of second-place Liverpool with a game more played, and four clear of City who will have two games in hand.
“We are keeping on doing what we have been doing – focusing on the next game and the task ahead, preparing really well – as we have done in the time we have had available to us,” Arteta said.
“The boys look ready to go again.”
