Cole Palmer has been ruled out of England’s upcoming World Cup qualifiers as he continues to be assessed following a muscle injury.

The Chelsea midfielder missed his side’s defeat to Arsenal on Sunday after sustaining the injury during a training session prior to the match. Manager Enzo Maresca had already suggested that Palmer was unlikely to be available for international duty.

"I don’t think he will be fit for England, to be honest," Maresca admitted. "His injury occurred during yesterday’s training session. It’s a muscular issue, and he is scheduled for a scan on Monday morning."

Palmer was included in Thomas Tuchel’s first England squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia, but he did not participate in training on Tuesday. It has now been confirmed that the 22-year-old will miss both matches and will instead continue his recovery at Chelsea’s Cobham training facility.

An official England statement read:

"A senior squad of 26 players will be joined by MU21 trio Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Adam Wharton and Liam Delap for this afternoon’s training session at St. George’s Park.

Cole Palmer remains with Chelsea for further assessment on an injury sustained in training ahead of his club’s fixture against Arsenal last Sunday."

Sunday’s match was the first Premier League fixture Palmer had missed since April 2024. The 22-year-old has been a key figure for Chelsea this season, registering 14 goals and six assists in the league. However, he is currently enduring a ten-match goal drought across all competitions.

Maresca hopes that the international break will allow Palmer to regain his form, both physically and mentally.

"We never wish for a player to be injured, but in Cole’s case, at this moment, some rest—both physically and mentally—could be beneficial," the Chelsea manager remarked.