“He knows that probably in that moment he wasn’t helping” - Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca on Cole Palmer after Aston Villa loss

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has spoken about out-of-sorts star Cole Palmer after his performance in their 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa on Saturday, February 22. The Blues tasted defeat for a fifth time in nine league games as they missed an opportunity to climb up to fourth in the Premier League.

After an excellent first 18 months at Chelsea, Palmer is currently experiencing his first slump in form at the club. The 22-year-old had another game to forget at Villa Park as he missed a huge chance to score and failed to influence the game as fans have become accustomed to seeing him do.

Enzo Maresca fielded questions about the England international's performance, and the coach threw his weight behind the former Manchester City man. He pointed out that he did not need to tell Palmer, as the player himself knew he had missed a glorious chance for his side.

“Cole Palmer is a top player, he belongs to that category. He want always to try and win games, be the best… he knows that probably in that moment he wasn't helping with the chance he missed,” Maresca said (via Fabrizio Romano on X).

With the scores at 1-1, Cole Palmer had a chance to restore his side's lead on the night as he was played in behind by Moises Caicedo. As he latched onto the brilliant pass, Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez lost his footing, momentarily presenting the forward with a gaping goal. Unsure of what to do, Palmer took too many touches before firing the ball into a covering defender.

Palmer, and Chelsea, did not get a better chance than that for the rest of the game. The forward has now failed to score or assist in each of his last six appearances for the club.

Chelsea slump to fifth defeat in nine league games

Chelsea tasted their fifth defeat in nine league games as their UEFA Champions League aspirations took a hit at Villa Park. The Blues succumbed to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Aston Villa despite having gone ahead in the game.

Enzo Fernandez put Enzo Maresca's side in front after just nine minutes, tapping home a low cross from Pedro Neto. The Blues held off their opponents until the break before the introduction of Marcus Rashford for Aston Villa turned the game on its head.

Rashford provided the assist for fellow loanee Marco Asensio to score his first goal for the club in the 57th minute, poking the ball across the face of goal for him to tap home. The Englishman then provided the winning assist in the 89th minute as Asensio fired home from his cross from the left wing to seal a vital win for Unai Emery's side.