Maresca Tips Cole Palmer To Be Chelsea's Mohamed Salah

Enzo Maresca has praised Cole Palmers potential to become Chelseas answer to Mohamed Salah, drawing comparisons between the England youngster and Liverpools talismanic forward. The 22-year-old midfielder played a pivotal role in Chelseas 3-1 win over Wolves on Monday, helping to end the Blues five-match winless streak with a composed and commanding performance late in the game.

Maresca, whose Chelsea side currently sits fourth in the Premier League, highlighted Palmers growing influence on the pitch as his team prepares to face Manchester City, the defending champions, on Saturday.

He's improving a lot, but not just in terms of goals and assists, Maresca said of Palmer. The second half against Wolves was, for me, one of the best moments since I arrived here. He showed personality and was asking for the ball whenever the team needed him.

The Chelsea boss likened Palmers leadership qualities to those of Salah at Liverpool and Martin Odegaard at Arsenal, players who consistently step up in challenging moments.

When Liverpool face tough moments, Salah demands the ball. At Arsenal, Odegaard does the same, Maresca explained. We need that kind of player-someone who tells their teammates, Give me the ball, don't worry, I'll take responsibility. Against Wolves, Palmer was top in that regard.