Cole Palmer earns a starting spot for Chelsea’s match against West Ham at Stamford Bridge. The English midfielder featured as a substitute during the midweek victory over Napoli, where he provided assists for both of Joao Pedro’s goals, helping secure a 3-2 win that advanced Chelsea directly to the Champions League last 16.

Palmer’s Return After Injury

Palmer has faced several injury setbacks this season. He sat out the bench against Napoli after recovering from a minor thigh strain that caused him to miss games against Pafos and Crystal Palace. Head coach Liam Rosenior confirmed Palmer emerged from the Napoli match “absolutely fine,” paving the way for his inclusion in the starting lineup for this London derby.

Injury Updates and Team Rotations

Tosin Adarabioyo remains sidelined and is not yet fit for selection. He returned to training at Cobham on Friday, focusing on light ball work and running. Trevoh Chalobah, who was a substitute against Napoli, re-enters the starting XI. He previously scored during Chelsea’s 5-1 thrashing of West Ham at the London Stadium in August.

Estevao Willian, a key favorite for Rosenior, gets a rest after consecutive starts. Captain Reece James sits out to manage his workload following extended minutes against Napoli and ahead of the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg versus Arsenal on Tuesday.

Romeo Lavia and Dario Essugo continue to miss out due to injuries. However, Rosenior indicated that Levi Colwill could return to action this season after beginning running sessions post his summer anterior cruciate ligament injury. Mykhailo Mudryk stays unavailable for selection.

Confirmed Chelsea Starting XI

Chelsea XI: Sanchez; Gusto, Chalobah, Badiashile, Hato; Caicedo, Enzo; Garnacho, Palmer, Gittens; Delap

Substitutes: Sharman-Lowe, James, Acheampong, Fofana, Cucurella, Andrey Santos, Neto, Joao Pedro, Guiu