Former Chelsea goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer has warned that Cole Palmer could become "more selfish" the longer his goal drought continues.
Palmer is now without a Premier League goal in seven games – his longest barren run since joining the Blues from Manchester City last summer.
In Chelsea’s 1-0 win over Leicester City on Sunday, the 22-year-old not only missed a penalty for the first time in his career, but also looked frustrated in the final third, often making poor decisions in an effort to find the net.
Most notably, shortly after Marc Cucurella gave Chelsea the lead in the second half, Palmer had a golden opportunity to play Enzo Fernández through on goal for what could have been a second, but instead opted to shoot himself.
Schwarzer, who spent two seasons at Stamford Bridge between 2013 and 2015, warned that unless Palmer finds the net soon, Chelsea fans should expect more of the same.
"It's just not happening for Cole Palmer at the moment," he told BBC Radio 5 Live. "The longer it goes on, the more frustration will creep in, and there will be more of that element of trying to be selfish and making the wrong decisions."
On Palmer’s missed penalty, the Australian added: "It wasn’t a penalty taken by someone with a lot of confidence. He went for power over placement, and the goalkeeper did so, so well. It wasn’t his best penalty."
Palmer ill before match, reveals Maresca
While Palmer has undoubtedly struggled in recent months, there appears to be a valid reason for his below-par performance on Sunday.
According to manager Enzo Maresca, he was unwell but insisted on playing.
"It’s very simple: Cole didn’t train yesterday and wasn’t feeling well during the night," Maresca revealed after the match. "He had fever and diarrhoea over the last 48 hours."
"This morning, he woke up and told me, 'I want to be on the pitch because I want to help this team, this club, to play Champions League football.'"
Now that’s dedication, or should we say defecation, to the cause.
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