Palmer's Goalless Run A Mental Thing - Maresca

Chelsea guardant Cole Palmer's caller struggles connected nan transportation are "a intelligence thing", says leader Enzo Maresca.

The England international, 22, has not scored successful 16 games - having netted 14 times successful his first 23 games of nan season.

Chelsea person slipped from 2nd spot to sixth - and retired of nan Champions League places - successful that time.

But Palmer has had much shots than immoderate different Premier League subordinate during his goalless spell - 41 efforts.

"For judge it's a intelligence thing, it's not tactical aliases technical," said Maresca.

"Cole is still nan subordinate who scored 14 goals successful 20 games. The style is nan same, nan head is nan same, nan nine is nan same. Nothing has changed astir Cole. It's conscionable mentally successful this moment.

"You tin spot he's a small spot worried because he wants to thief nan team. You tin spot he's struggling a spot connected that. But he showed really happy he was aft Fulham. It's conscionable a matter [of whether] we tin triumph games. For judge he's going to people goals.

"If you spell backmost crippled by game, he had astatine slightest each crippled 1 aliases 2 chances, truthful it's not astir really nan squad is playing."

Maresca will miss Saturday's crippled against Everton arsenic he serves a one-match touchline ban.

Assistant leader Willy Caballero will beryllium successful nan dugout.

"They asked maine if I request personification adjacent to maine [in nan stands]," said Maresca.

"I don't cognize if I'll beryllium unsocial aliases if I'll beryllium pinch someone. Tomorrow I'll effort to beryllium successful nan measurement I ever effort to be. When nan head is not location it's for nan activity group to measurement guardant and return responsibility."

Meanwhile, Maresca says this play is "not a failure".

The Blues, who are successful nan Conference League semi-finals, whitethorn not suffice for nan Champions League adjacent season.

"Compared pinch nan past 2 years, it is not a failure," said Maresca, who is successful his first play successful charge.

"How galore times successful nan past 2 years person Chelsea been successful nan Champions League [places]? And this play we person been location almost each season. It's an betterment aliases not? It's already an improvement."