England face Slovakia this weekend in the knockout rounds of Euro 2024, but will there be any Chelsea players on the pitch?
Blues attacker Cole Palmer, 22, has only made one appearance so far at the tournament. He got a brief 20-minute cameo during the final group stage match as England secured top spot with a draw against Slovenia.
However, it feels like there’s pressure building from supporters on Three Lions manager Gareth Southgate to bring the Chelsea star into the team.
England play Slovakia on Sunday evening in the last-16 stage of the Euros. Incidentally, the winners will face Switzerland or Italy in the quarter-finals.
Is it finally time for Palmer to really shine on the international stage?
Chris Sutton predicts Cole Palmer will be on the England bench again
BBC pundit Chris Sutton has said that he’d love England boss Southgate to hand a starting position to Palmer on Sunday.
Unfortunately, he expects the Chelsea playmaker to be on the bench for a fourth straight match.
Sutton told BBC Sport: “I actually want him to pick Cole Palmer, whose creativity in the 20 minutes he played in that game made England look a far more potent team, as his number 10… but I don’t think he will.”
Chelsea fans must be baffled at his exclusion
There’s still time for Palmer to make an impact this summer at the Euros, but it’s going to require a bit of bravery from Southgate with his selection and substitutions.
Any Chelsea supporter that watched the 22-year-old in the last nine months must be shocked at his lack of game time for England.
Realistically, the Blues haven’t seen individual magic at the club like Palmer since Eden Hazard’s exit.
The attacking contributions speak for themself. Palmer scored 25 goals and made 15 assists in 45 Chelsea appearances last season.
Aside from just the numbers, he’s such a danger whenever he’s on the pitch and you can count on him to produce a moment of brilliance over the course of any game.