Enzo Maresca is hopeful Cole Palmer will not require surgery on a groin injury which forced him off in the first half of Chelsea's 2-1 Premier League defeat against Manchester United .

The England international, 23, has been able to start just twice in the league so far this season, and lasted only 21 minutes at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Asked whether Palmer will need to have an operation on the injury, Maresca replied: "The medical staff, they didn't mention to me about surgery.

"I don't know if in the next days or the next weeks, but I don't think so, to be honest.

"But unfortunately then we had have 10 players and also it was painful so we decided to change it. And it's more day-by-day, week-by-week, game-by-game to see how it is and then decide what we do."

Palmer is likel

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