Cole Palmer Back in Contention for Chelsea Before Nottingham Forest
Cole Palmer is back in contention to start for Chelsea against Nottingham Forest on Monday after a hamstring issue briefly interrupted his season. Calum McFarlane says the attacker can make a big impact for Chelsea from now to the end of the season, with his form and fitness again moving in the right direction.
McFarlane’s view on Palmer
“It's been a difficult period for Cole,” McFarlane said. “He's had the first injury that he's pretty much ever had in his career and he's had to learn how to deal with that.”
The Chelsea interim head coach said Palmer has already shown what he can add when he is fit. “I think there are obviously games where he can impact more, but there have also been a lot of occasions when he's created a lot of good chances for players, and he can't control whether they’re finished.”
McFarlane was equally direct about the broader picture. “I do think he's had some really good games in the last three months and it's just a case of building that consistency. I'm really pleased with Cole. He shows us his talent every single day, his energy and his enthusiasm to play, and he's still a top player, one of the best in the world for me.”
Wembley return and Forest test
Palmer came back as a second-half substitute in Chelsea’s FA Cup semi-final win over Leeds United at Wembley last week. That appearance ended the latest interruption to a season that had already been slowed by injuries in the second half of 2025, after he had rediscovered his form in recent months.
Monday now gives Chelsea a chance to bring him back into the starting line-up at Stamford Bridge against Nottingham Forest. McFarlane said he has no concerns over Palmer being ready to affect games through the rest of the season and, hopefully, in the World Cup in big moments for England.
From City academy to Chelsea
McFarlane’s view carries extra weight because he saw Palmer early in his career at Manchester City. “In my first season at City, Cole was in the Under-21s, and he was literally just on the brink of breaking into the first team.”
He said the player he sees now is the same one, only in a bigger setting. “There's not much difference, in all honesty. He's the same person, he plays the game with the same freedom. We've all watched Cole Palmer enough to see the freedom that he plays the game with, and he sees things that other people don't see.”
That is why Chelsea’s immediate decision matters: if Palmer starts against Nottingham Forest, the club gets a returning creator with a track record of producing chances, not just a short-term substitute option. For a team hosting a Premier League match at Stamford Bridge, his availability changes the shape of the attack right away.
