Overview
- Cole Palmer made his first appearance since September 20, coming on just past the hour at Elland Road for roughly half an hour.
- Enzo Maresca called the midfielder’s comeback “the only good news” from the night and said he hopes to give him more minutes in the next match.
- The defeat ended a seven-match unbeaten run for Chelsea, with Palmer flashing one effort wide during his cameo.
- Palmer’s season has been curtailed by groin issues and a fractured toe from a home accident that delayed his return.
- The Blues visit Bournemouth on Saturday as Maresca manages selection around recent injuries and aims to quickly reset performance levels.