Maresca Urges Palmer: Stay Positive, the Goals Will Come

Chelsea’s Cole Palmer has been urged by manager Enzo Maresca to maintain his positive attitude, as the goals are bound to return. The 22-year-old, who has been Chelsea’s top scorer in the Premier League this season, has not scored in his last seven appearances. Despite this, Chelsea managed to secure a 4-0 victory against Southampton, propelling them back into the top four.

Maresca emphasized the importance of staying upbeat, stating, 'He has to continue to work, continue to be happy, continue to laugh the way he does. It is normal to go through a moment where you struggle to score but it doesn’t matter. Just continue and you are going to score many goals.'

Palmer started the season in excellent form, scoring 14 goals and providing six assists in his first 21 Premier League games. However, his recent performances have not been as impactful, with zero goals or assists in his last few matches. Despite this, Maresca remains confident in Palmer’s abilities and believes that the player’s positive mindset will eventually lead to more goals.

In Chelsea’s recent match against Southampton, Palmer had several opportunities to score, accumulating an expected goals (xG) figure of 1.07. Although he missed a number of good chances, Palmer’s reaction—smiling after a late free-kick was saved—was praised by Maresca. 'He is reacting perfectly. He is smiling and he is happy. We have no doubt he will score more goals,' Maresca said in his post-match press conference.

Maresca also highlighted the importance of patience and trust from the fans, especially after a recent protest against the club’s ownership. 'The only thing I can say is that in this moment the fans have to trust. We’re in the right process and the right direction,' Maresca stated. He further emphasized the players’ commitment to bringing the club back to the Champions League.