Cole Palmer injury update: Liam Rosenior on what Chelsea star "felt" before Pafos Champions League game

Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior has confirmed that Cole Palmer has only suffered a minor injury and should be back by the weekend.

The Blues emerged as 1-0 winners against Pafos on Wednesday, but attacker Cole Palmer was missing from the starting lineup.

Chelsea looked blunt in attack against Pafos, and fans will be concerned about the potential of a prolonged absence from the XI.

Speaking ahead of the game, Rosenior confirmed that Palmer's injury is expected to be minor, saying: "Cole felt a little bit of tightness in his thigh. He just misses out, but he should be absolutely fine for Sunday.

"I’ve got to manage the squad as best as possible and make sure we are fit throughout the season with the sheer amount of games we’ve got in a short space of time."

The Blues are set to face Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Sunday, and Palmer's availability will be key if they are to beat the Eagles' low block.

Are Cole Palmer's injuries becoming problematic for Chelsea?

Palmer is arguably Chelsea's best player, but he has been frequently been sidelined due to injury this season.

The Englishman has already missed 19 games because of various issues this campaign, with the forward having struggled all season with a groin problem.

Chelsea have played seven Champions League games but Palmer has only featured for the club in Europe once, while he has started just 10 out of 22 Premier League matches.

Rosenior will hope that the additional workload of a World Cup in the summer will not hamper the player's ability to recover in the long term given his importance to the team.

Champions League top eight: Will Chelsea qualify for round of 16?

The battle to finish in the Champions League's top eight will be fierce given sixth-placed Paris Saint-Germain have 13 points, level with 13th-placed Atalanta.

Rosenior's side are currently eighth with 13 points, and they face a challenging clash against Napoli on Wednesday.

Former Blues boss Antonio Conte is in charge of the Italian side, though his record in European competitions is underwhelming, with his team in need of a win in order to avoid elimination from the competition entirely.

Seventh-placed Newcastle United will play PSG in their final league-phase game, and perhaps Chelsea will benefit from the matchups between their rivals.