Chelsea head coach Maresca attended the pre-match press conference ahead of the game against Brighton.
Q: How is the team's injury situation? What about Palmer's condition, especially how will the team address his issue?
A: We have decided to protect Cole (Palmer) a bit to prevent his injury from worsening. We have made the decision to let him rest for two to three weeks before the international break, to see if he can make a full recovery. We will then conduct a check-up, with the aim of having him fully recovered after the international break.
Q: Will he need surgery? Because the groin issue seems quite troublesome.
A: I don't think he needs surgery. It's just a matter of managing the groin pain. Given the number of games we play, this kind of pain is indeed likely to occur.
Q: So who will start tomorrow?
A: Tosin is injured and may not be available until the international break. He has a minor calf injury. Wesley Fofana suffered a concussion in the game against Lincoln, and everyone else is in good shape. Romeo Lavia and Benoît Badiashile are improving, and we will assess whether they can be included in the squad.
Q: Are you satisfied with the performances of Sánchez and Jørgensen?
A: I think Sánchez has worked really well with us over the long term. He performed exceptionally well towards the end of last season and the start of this season.
He made a mistake in the game against Manchester United and is aware of that. But the goalkeeper position is no different from the midfield or attacking positions. We are very satisfied with Robert (Sánchez) and Philip (Jørgensen); both are doing great. Robert has no issues at all.
Q: But after Sánchez's mistake against Manchester United, you said you would prefer conceding a goal rather than seeing a red card, right?
A: A red card was a possible outcome. It was a split-second decision. Last season, we conceded five goals due to Robert's mistakes, but how many goals did Robert's saves stop us from conceding?
