Head coach Enzo Maresca called the challenge from Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez on the 22-year-old during Sunday’s 1-1 draw “not a normal one,” and admitted there is a risk the England international will miss the London derby.
Palmer has not trained since the incident, which occurred in stoppage time and earned Martinez a yellow card, and he is not eligible for Thursday’s Conference League game at home to FC Noah.
“He didn’t train (Tuesday), we’ll see today if he is able to train with us,” said Maresca.
“Hopefully he’ll be ready (for Arsenal) but we need to wait and see, then decide.”
Asked whether there was a chance Palmer could miss Sunday’s game at Stamford Bridge, he said: “Yeah, for sure. He didn’t train the last two days. The tackle it’s quite clear was not a normal one. But hopefully he can be back.”
Palmer has been the outstanding player during Maresca’s first four months in charge, scoring seven goals and further establishing himself as the team’s creative heartbeat.
Maresca is likely to use Thursday’s game against Armenian side Noah to assess alternatives with wholesale changes to the line-up expected.
Jadon Sancho is not among those available after he missed the game at Old Trafford through illness and has since picked up a knock, though Joao Felix is a player that will be hopeful of using the match to stake a claim to a starting berth against Arsenal.
He didn’t train the last two days. The tackle it’s quite clear was not a normal one. But hopefully he can be back
Enzo Maresca on Cole Palmer
The £42million summer signing is yet to start in the league and was not called upon from the bench against United.
“I feel a shame about Joao,” said Maresca.
“I would like to give him more minutes in the Premier League but we need defensive balance and we cannot play with Joao, Cole, Christo (Christopher Nkunku).
“I’d like to put them all on the pitch but then you have to also defend. You need the right balance between the two phases, attacking and defending.
“This is the only reason. I don’t have any doubt that if (Felix) keeps working well he’s going to find his moment in the Premier League.”
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