Cole Palmer
January 2026
United are being urged to consider Palmer as a future target, with the idea that a Pochettino appointment could help make any approach realistic. Meulensteen argues Palmer fits how United should play and notes squad-fit questions around roles with Bruno Fernandes, Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbeumo, while any move depends on Chelsea being willing to sell.
Enzo Maresca
December 2025
Chelsea again dropped points after leading Aston Villa, and Enzo Maresca admitted he cannot fully explain why his side keeps losing control of games. Joao Pedro’s first-half opener was not enough, as Villa turned it around with a decisive second-half response. Chelsea missed chances to extend the lead through Cole Palmer and Reece James, keeping Villa alive. Unai Emery’s triple change on the hour shifted momentum, and substitute Ollie Watkins scored twice. Maresca said the pattern is recurring and not random.
Cole Palmer
December 2025
Palmer started and helped Chelsea into a first-half lead through Joao Pedro, but was substituted on 72 minutes for Estevao Willian at 1-1, reacting angrily as Villa completed a 2-1 comeback win via an Ollie Watkins brace. Maresca played down Palmer’s visible frustration, praising his work on and off the ball and stressing rotation ahead of another game in 48 hours. Chelsea’s failure to protect their advantage allowed Villa to claim an 11th straight win, deepening scrutiny on the Blues’ late-game management.
Enzo Maresca
December 2025
Enzo Maresca described the build-up to Chelsea’s win over Everton as his “worst 48 hours” at the club and complained that “many people didn’t support us”, sparking speculation his frustration was aimed above the fanbase and prompting warnings about his job security. While praising his players and stressing affection for supporters, Maresca’s vague criticism was interpreted as a swipe at the hierarchy, leading pundit Danny Murphy to argue on television that publicly challenging billionaire owners who have already sacked multiple coaches is risky and that Maresca must choose his moments carefully.
David Moyes
December 2025
David Moyes joked there was a “billion-pound difference” between Everton and Chelsea after his side’s 2-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge, a match where the visitors created chances but failed to score and lost Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to a first-half injury on his return. Everton arrived in good form after four wins in six but were undone by clinical finishes from Palmer and Gusto, plus wasteful attacking of their own, with Moyes’ remark underlining frustration at competing with Chelsea’s spending power despite a largely committed away performance.
Cole Palmer
December 2025
John Terry labelled Cole Palmer the best No.10 in world football after the playmaker scored on his first home league start since the opening weekend, steering Chelsea to a 2-0 win over Everton that pushed them back into the Champions League positions. Palmer thrived in his preferred central role, finishing smartly from Malo Gusto’s pass before earning a standing ovation on the hour as Maresca managed his minutes after groin and toe issues, with Terry also highlighting Robert Sanchez and a rare Chelsea clean sheet.
Cole Palmer
December 2025
Cole Palmer ended a three month goal drought with a sharp finish in Chelsea’s 2-0 win over Everton, helping lift the Blues into fourth place, yet the playmaker insisted he is still short of his best as he continues managing an ongoing injury. Palmer told Match of the Day he is progressing day by day with physios and must avoid doing too much too soon, while Enzo Maresca repeated Chelsea are a better team with him, praising Reece James and Malo Gusto for helping secure the clean sheet.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Jack Grealish
December 2025
Everton slumped to a 2-0 defeat at Chelsea, barely troubling Enzo Maresca’s side while suffering fresh fitness concerns as Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall limped off early and Jack Grealish reported hamstring discomfort after full time, compounding a sixth league loss of the season. David Moyes said Dewsbury-Hall’s early withdrawal disrupted Everton for around fifteen minutes and admitted frustration at losing more players despite being relatively satisfied with their general play, stressing they must now manage Grealish carefully as medical staff assess both knocks in coming days.
Cole Palmer
December 2025
Enzo Maresca has confirmed that Cole Palmer will miss Chelsea’s Champions League trip to Atalanta after the playmaker sat out training, with the club choosing to manage his fitness carefully following an injury hit campaign that has already restricted him to six appearances. Palmer only recently returned, playing half an hour before Bournemouth and around an hour in the goalless draw, and Maresca says the medical staff have planned to rest him between tightly scheduled fixtures to avoid flare ups while Liam Delap recovers from a shoulder problem.