Chelsea have suffered a major injury blow, with star midfielder Cole Palmer set to be sidelined for six to eight weeks with a groin injury. 

The news, which comes after Palmer missed the Carabao Cup clash against Lincoln City, is a huge setback for the Blues and their head coach, Enzo Maresca.

The former Manchester City player's injury flared up during Chelsea’s 2-1 Premier League defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford. 

Palmer was forced off in the first half after attempting to play through the pain, a decision that Maresca later admitted was a gamble. 

"Cole tried this morning, he had a test this morning to play this game," Maresca said after the United match. "He was not 100 per cent fit... but he wanted to be there to help his teammates."

The confirmed timeline for Palmer’s absence is a bitter pill to swallow for Chelsea, who have been inconsistent this season and are in desperate need of creativity and goal contributions.

The 22-year-old had only recently returned from a prior groin issue, and his latest setback is a clear result of aggravating the problem.

The club's medical staff and Maresca will now face scrutiny for allowing Palmer to play against Manchester United, a decision that has now cost the team one of its key players for a significant period.

Palmer's absence will be keenly felt in the upcoming weeks, with Chelsea’s attack already struggling to find a consistent rhythm.

The team managed to scrape a 2-1 win against Lincoln City in the Carabao Cup without him, but his creativity and attacking threat will be sorely missed in the more demanding fixtures ahead in the Premier League and European competitions.

This injury adds to a growing list of concerns for Maresca, who is already without several key players due to long-term injuries.

The pressure will now be on other players to step up and fill the void left by Palmer's absence, but the long-term impact on Chelsea's season is yet to be fully seen.