Chelsea fans will be holding their breath this week as Cole Palmer waits to find out how serious his groin problem really is.

The 22-year-old was named in the starting XI against West Ham on Friday but never made it onto the pitch. He pulled up during the warm-up, clutching his groin, and was quickly taken back to the dressing room.

That opened the door for teenage wonderkid Estevao, who was drafted in last minute for his first start. The youngster didn’t waste the opportunity either, grabbing an assist in the Blues’ 5-1 win while Palmer watched on from the bench.

After the game, Enzo Maresca explained that Palmer’s withdrawal was more about not taking risks, but he also admitted the midfielder has been dealing with the issue since pre-season. Palmer even pushed through it during the 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace a week earlier.

“Cole hasn’t been 100 per cent in the last few days,” Maresca said. “He tried to warm up today, but it wasn’t right, so we didn’t want to make things worse. He’s been making a big effort for the team and the fans, but tonight wasn’t the time to push it.”

Adding to the drama, Palmer was spotted at the Notting Hill Carnival on Monday (in disguise, of course), but he didn’t train with the squad on Tuesday as he continues to be assessed by the medical team.

Chelsea are back in action on Saturday with a lunchtime kick-off at home to Fulham, and all eyes will be on whether their main man makes the squad.