Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca hits back at Harry Kane criticism after Cole Palmer plays 90 minutes

Harry Kane was captious of the 9 players who pulled retired of England work past week and Chelsea brag Enzo Maresca has responded to his comments, with Cole Palmer among those who withdrew from the squad

Enzo Maresca has insisted Chelsea did not unit Cole Palmer to pulling retired of the England squad aft helium played a afloat 90 minutes successful the Blues' 2-1 triumph against Leicester.

Palmer was 1 of 9 players who withdrew from the archetypal squad for England's wins implicit Greece and the Republic of Ireland, on with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Aaron Ramsdale, Levi Colwill and Jarrad Branthwaite.

The sheer magnitude of withdrawals drew large disapproval from England skipper Harry Kane, who questioned their committedness to the Three Lions. "I deliberation England comes earlier anything. It comes earlier nine and it is the astir important happening you play arsenic a nonrecreational footballer," helium told ITV.

"Gareth was connected blistery connected that and helium wasn't acrophobic to marque decisions if that started to drift from definite players. It's a shame this week obviously. Yeah, I deliberation it's a pugnacious play of the play and possibly that's been taken vantage of a small bit. I don't truly similar it if I'm wholly honest."

However, erstwhile asked astir Kane's comments soon aft Chelsea's triumph implicit Leicester, Maresca said: "My absorption is that we finished the crippled 10 minutes ago, we won 2-1. There is not immoderate reaction, determination is not immoderate comments.

"We finished the crippled 10 minutes ago. I americium not reasoning astir Harry Kane. I don't person immoderate comments astir that." He was besides asked if Chelsea pressured Palmer to retreat up of a engaged tally of games and insisted: "Absolutely not."

Palmer has cemented himself arsenic a cardinal subordinate for Chelsea since joining the nine from Manchester City successful 2023 and they are keen to negociate his workload, having near him retired of their squad for the Conference League radical signifier arsenic a result.

During the game, Leicester's Wilfried Ndidi was fortunate to flight with a yellowish paper for a situation connected Palmer which saw him drawback the backmost of his heel. However, Maresca defended Ndidi erstwhile asked astir the incident.

"I don't deliberation the people is Cole," Maresca said. "I said aft the Man United game, erstwhile determination is atrocious intention, it has to beryllium a antithetic punishment from the referee. I'm not saying Wilf had a atrocious volition due to the fact that I emotion Wilf.

"It's not conscionable our players. For me, it's general. Whenever determination is atrocious intention, the punishment has to beryllium different. I don't deliberation [it should person been a reddish card], to beryllium honest."

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