Palmer was forced off just 21 minutes into Chelsea’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday, only his second Premier League start of the season.

The forward has been managing a groin issue for some time, but Maresca told reporters there are currently no plans for an operation.

“The medical staff didn’t mention anything to me about surgery,” Maresca said. “I don’t know if that might change in the coming days or weeks, but I don’t think so, to be honest.”

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Despite not being fully fit, Palmer was eager to play against United.

“He made a huge effort to try and play,” Maresca added. “He did the test and was okay, not fully, but he wanted to be there to help the team. Unfortunately, it was painful, so we had to take him off. Now it’s more of a day-by-day, week-by-week situation.”

Palmer is expected to miss Chelsea’s Carabao Cup third-round clash against League One side Lincoln City on Tuesday. Romeo Lavia and Benoît Badiashile will also be unavailable.

With injuries mounting, Maresca is likely to turn to Chelsea’s youth academy for reinforcements, a move he admitted comes with risk.

Source: Punch