By Jude Summerfield
Most Chelsea fans reasonably feared the worst when Cole Palmer was ruled out of their London derby with Arsenal in midweek.
An eight-game unbeaten run in all competitions had already been broken by their FA Cup semi-final defeat to Manchester City but Mauricio Pochettino's side were then battered beyond recognition at the Emirates Stadium, conceding four goals in the second half in a 5-0 defeat.
There was little desire or spirit on show from the visiting Blues, who were without their star summer signing who has scored 20 of their 61 Premier League goals so far this season. Chelsea return to action on Saturday night, but will Palmer be fit enough to take part?
Here's what we know about Palmer's fitness leading into FPL Gameweek 35 so far.
What injury does Cole Palmer have?
After featuring at Wembley in the FA Cup semi-final defeat to his former club Man City, Palmer was then rated as unlikely to play in midweek after it emerged he had been struggling with illness and left unable to train.
He was joined on the sidelines by the injured Ben Chilwell and Malo Gusto, adding to an already huge absentee list that includes Wesley Fofana, Romeo Lavia, Christopher Nkunku and Reece James among others.
What has Mauricio Pochettino said about Cole Palmer's injury?
Speaking in a press conference on Monday before the Arsenal game, Pochettino said: "We'll see tomorrow, we need to assess tomorrow morning. But today, I don't believe he can be involved, but we need to assess him tomorrow and then we'll decide.
"If he's good tomorrow, maybe he's not in a condition to play. I hope he recovers from this situation and can be involved again as soon as possible with the team."
After the heavy defeat, the former Tottenham boss declined to claim his side's loss to the Gunners came about because of Palmer's absence.
He added: "We cannot say that was the reason we lose the game but we lose a player who is a creative player who helps to link the team. We are losing players and that has made very difficult, the management. But I think today, more than that, it was difficult to be in the game.
"Where Arsenal are is where we need to be as well. We are talking too much this season and all the information we receive now is that we want to be in a different position next season."
Pochettino will give a further update on Palmer's availability for Saturday's trip to Villa Park before the weekend.
Cole Palmer alternatives in FPL Gameweek 35
Palmer is the top-scoring midfielder in Fantasy Premier League this season with 208 points, with only Ollie Watkins managing more with his 217.
The England international started the 2023/24 campaign priced at only £5m but his exceptional form means that has since risen to £6.2m. He remains a bargain but there are in-form options to consider if it emerges Palmer won't be ready to visit Villa Park.
Eberechi Eze (£6.1m) has managed two double-digit hauls in his last three outings for Crystal Palace, grabbing two goals and an assist against Liverpool and West Ham. It's also tough to ignore teammate Michael Olise (£5.6m), who has also helped the Eagles win three games on the trot. Upcoming fixtures with Fulham and Manchester United ought to be filled with goals, making the duo attractive targets for the weekend.
Leandro Trossard (£6.5m) returned two goals in two games in Gameweek 34 against Wolves and Chelsea, though whether he'll be handed another start away at Tottenham is up in the air.
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This article was originally published on 90min.com as Cole Palmer injury update: Should you pick him for FPL Gameweek 35?.
