Chelsea prepared for their Premier League match against Leicester City by defeating FC Copenhagen in the Conference League last-16 first leg on Thursday.
Goals from Reece James and Enzo Fernández secured a 2-1 victory heading into the second leg. Before that, they aim to achieve their second consecutive league win against Leicester.
Cole Palmer did not score or assist against the Danish team, and Enzo Maresca hopes he can break his goal drought this Sunday.
Cole Palmer’s 2025 Form
Despite contributing 20 goals this season – 14 goals and six assists – only two of these contributions have occurred in 2025.
This dip in form coincides with Chelsea winning only three Premier League games since mid-December. If Palmer doesn’t regain his form soon, they risk missing out on a top-four finish.
Leicester has conceded 61 league goals this season, the second-worst defensive record in the league. If Palmer receives effective passes, scoring against Leicester should be achievable.
This would significantly boost his confidence for the upcoming weeks.
Therefore, Maresca should deploy Fernandez for Chelsea this Sunday. Fernandez is demonstrating the quality that prompted the club to spend £106.8m, and his midfield presence can reignite Palmer’s performance.
How Chelsea Can Help Palmer Re-emerge
Fernandez entered as a substitute in the second half against Copenhagen, scoring Chelsea’s second goal.
The £180k-per-week Argentinian has become a crucial player for Maresca this season, justifying his high transfer fee.
|
Enzo Fernández in the Premier League for Chelsea (2024/25) |
|
|---|---|
|
Goals |
4 |
|
Assists |
4 |
|
Accurate passes per game |
43.6 |
|
Big chances created |
10 |
|
Key passes per game |
2.1 |
|
Total duels won per game |
4.8 |
Compared to other players in his position in Europe’s top leagues, Fernandez ranks in the top 11% for progressive passes (7.16), top 6% for shot-creating actions (4.3), and top 15% for touches in the opposition box (2.34) per 90 minutes over the last year.
These stats could benefit Palmer in attack. Fernandez’s drive into the box and progressive passing will allow Palmer to receive the ball in dangerous positions against Leicester.
Before joining Chelsea, football scout Jacek Kulig described Fernandez as a “phenomenon” for his ability to quickly become a key player at a new club.
While it took time to adapt in London, Maresca is now getting the best from the World Cup winner. He should start against Leicester today, as he and Palmer could significantly trouble the struggling team.
Vihaan Mehrotra