Cole Palmer insists that Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca gives him the room to try things on the pitch, adding that he felt he played too “safe” before creating two goals in last month’s Conference League final.

Chelsea fell 1-0 behind against Real Betis in Wroclaw with Palmer a subdued figure in the first half, but the former Manchester City attacking midfielder was notably more aggressive after the interval, supplying two brilliant crosses for Enzo Fernandez and Nicolas Jackson to score and turn the final on its head.

After the match, Palmer said that he was “sick of getting the ball and going backwards and sideways”. The comments were interpreted by some as a thinly-veiled criticism of Maresca’s patient, possession-focused style, though Chelsea officials quickly clarified that he had been referring to his own performance rather than the instructions of his head coach.

Palmer elaborated on that before a Chelsea training session at their Philadelphia Union base on Thursday, speaking ahead of their second Club World Cup group match against Flamengo at Lincoln Financial Field.

“We had a joke about it (with Maresca),” the 23-year-old said. “My comments weren’t towards the manager or anything. It was just a personal thing. I felt like in the game, I was maybe being a bit safe. So that’s where the comment came from. I wanted to get the ball and try something different than previously.

“Obviously, you can’t take the p— and do like whatever you want and stuff, but I feel like he (Maresca) still gives you a little bit of room to try and see what I can do.”

After a scintillating 2024, Palmer has endured a difficult individual 2025, which featured an 18-game streak without scoring. Opponents are going to greater lengths to make life difficult for Chelsea’s talisman, while the expectation on him to be decisive has risen significantly.

Asked if he ever feels the pressure, Palmer replied: “Obviously, it sometimes gets to everyone. But most of the time, I try and ignore it.

“I still do the same things now that I did before I came to Chelsea. I try and think it’s just a game of football at the end of the day, like it’s not life or death. So I just try and enjoy it. I like to go and play five-a-side and go to the astro(turf) and just do normal things (to take my mind off things).”

Palmer also admitted that he and his Chelsea team-mates are feeling the effects of a gruelling season made longer by the Club World Cup. “You get tired and stuff,” he added. “So after this, I will need a break because we’ve been playing for a year straight.”

(Photo: Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)