Chelsea’s 20-goal talisman, Palmer, has been an integral player for the team since his full debut in late September. His consistent presence and high quality provide reassurance to manager Pochettino. However, Palmer has faced competition for the spotlight from teammates, particularly with regards to penalty taking duties.

Pochettino expressed uncertainty about who would take over penalty responsibilities if Palmer is unavailable for the upcoming match. He sees this as a challenge for Palmer’s teammates to step up and demonstrate that Chelsea is a team effort, not solely reliant on one individual. Despite Palmer’s success, he has had challenges adapting to Chelsea and the Premier League, highlighting the difficulties of transitioning to a new environment, culture, and language.

On the other hand, Caicedo, who was signed for £115m, has also faced criticism for underwhelming performances. Pochettino acknowledged that Caicedo had shown signs of anxiety and nervousness in his play, but noted that he is now demonstrating improvement and composure. In addition, the text includes a promotion for Mirror Football’s new WhatsApp community, offering daily content and special offers.