EPL News Roundup: Palmer Set for The Blues Return; Idrissa Gueye's Failed Appeal Lacks Explanation
First Story: Star Player Palmer Ready for High-Stakes Capital Clash with Arsenal
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca confirmed on Friday that Cole Palmer is ready to play for the squad's significant top-flight fixture against local rivals Arsenal.
The young England midfielder had been sidelined due to a broken toe suffered after an accidental incident.
“He is ready to start and participate,” Maresca declared. “Everyone is happy.”
This season, Palmer has been limited to four outings across all competitions, netting two goals.
Since his arrival from City in 2023, he has notched 45 goals and 29 assists in 101 appearances for Chelsea.
“He is our best player, we are happy he is back, we need to give him time to be fully fit,” Maresca continued. “He has been brilliant historically and no doubt he is going to do exceptionally well for this club in the future.”
2. The Toffees Receive No Reason for Rejected Idrissa Gueye Red Card Appeal
The Merseyside club were unsuccessful in their appeal against Idrissa Gueye's red card for a fight with teammate Michael Keane during the team's 1-0 victory at Old Trafford.
The 36-year-old Senegalese midfielder was shown a red card only 13 minutes into the game after slapping Keane amid a disagreement over a poor pass.
The player immediately apologized, and the pair appeared reconciled later in a light-hearted online post.
However, the appeal against the red card was turned down, and Gueye must complete a three-match suspension, making Everton shorthanded for their upcoming fixture against Newcastle United.
“We lodged an appeal and it was unsuccessful,” coach the manager said. “We received no rationale for the denial but we did appeal it.”
Inquired about more issues from the event, Moyes remarked: “It was over immediately, it was done, that was it, we progressed rapidly and it was all sorted within the team environment.”
Third Story: Wissa Practices with The Magpies for First Time since Injury
The club's new signing Yoane Wissa has practiced with his squad for the first time since suffering a knee injury soon after his arrival from his former club in September.
Head coach Eddie Howe announced the development on Friday but withheld a possible comeback timeline for the 29-year-old.
Newcastle brought in the striker for a significant fee to fill the void left by Alexander Isak, who joined Liverpool for a British record transfer fee.
Regrettably, Wissa was hurt while on international duty before he could make his debut for Newcastle.
“He is doing well, he trained with us for the first time on Wednesday, so I was really pleased with how he looked,” Howe stated. “This marked his debut in a competitive setting with the squad. Let’s see how he reacts today.”
The manager continued: “We have a target return date, but it’s probably best if I keep that to myself. We wish to prevent any disappointment. Naturally, we want to involve him as soon as possible.”
Additionally, the defender will be out of action for a four-week period with a hamstring injury.
4. The Reds' Poor Form ‘Doesn’t Matter’, Insists West Ham Boss Nuno
The Hammers manager Nuno Espírito Santo has claimed that Liverpool' recent poor form “doesn’t really matter” as his team gets ready to take on the struggling Premier League champions.
The Liverpool manager's team has suffered six losses in seven recent league games, dropping out of the upper half of the standings.
Nevertheless, Nuno emphasized that there can be no room for overconfidence when the sides clash on Sunday at the London Stadium.
“The Reds are a strong team and in football, what counts is what you do on the day,” Nuno said. “We anticipate facing the league champions, players that are talented and capable of doing good things, so we have to prepare.
“The past of the results before, the performance of the teams, is not that important. It is about the day. Knowing that we are going to face a very good team, that has players capable of doing wonderful things, so we have to be fully prepared, to perform.”
The Hammers will welcome back Lucas Paquetá after his ban, while Crysencio Summerville and Dinos Mavropanos are progressing in their return from injury.
5. Gibbs-White Could Feature for Nottingham Forest against The Seagulls
The club's boss Sean Dyche is optimistic that Morgan Gibbs-White will be available for the side's home match against Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday.
The England player was absent for Thursday's Europa League match against the Swedish side due to a back issue.
“Fortunately, it seems to be calming down,” Dyche stated as he got ready to face Fabian Hürzeler's side, who have taken seven points from their past three outings.
“It’s like a bad back, but a morning sort of injury, one where you just sleep funny or move improperly. So we’re not expecting, at this stage anyway, that it’s too serious and it’s settling down already. So we’re confident that it’ll be right for the weekend.”
The defender was feeling his hamstring after the comfortable European victory, but Dyche indicated the player “will likely be available”.
However, Ola Aina (thigh injury), the midfielder (thigh), the winger (hamstring), Chris Wood (knee), and Oleksandr Zinchenko (hip) are expected to be unavailable.
6. Glasner: Conference League Loss Will Not Set Back Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace head coach Oliver Glasner believes that the setback of Thursday's European defeat to the French side is a indication of how far the team has come in competing on two fronts.
The FA Cup holders went ahead at Stade de la Meinau through Tyrick Mitchell's first-half goal but were equalized against by Liam Rosenior's team, who moved up to second in the table.
Crystal Palace now return to domestic competition with a home fixture against Manchester United, and Glasner is confident his side can keep up their push for a Champions League spot.
“Maybe like the late defeat at Everton, it just feels that it was totally avoidable and it is our fault,” Glasner commented. “Alternatively, we have to take it on the chin. The effort was there but it is a game we could have avoided losing.”
Glasner confirmed that Borna Sosa would be absent for Sunday's game after he did not travel to Strasbourg, but Will Hughes, who went off during the opening period against the opponents, is expected to be in the team selection.