Liam Rosenior on Cole Palmer’s fitness and ‘fantastic’ Joao Pedro after Chelsea beat Napoli | OneFootball

Liam Rosenior says Cole Palmer will continue to be carefully managed after impressing off the bench in Chelsea’s 3-2 win over Napoli.

After leading through an Enzo Fernandez penalty, Chelsea fell 2-1 behind before a Joao Pedro double sent the Blues straight through to the Champions League round of 16.

Palmer, who set up Joao Pedro’s winner after coming on at half-time, has been enduring ongoing struggles with his fitness this season after returning from a groin injury, and Rosenior says he must be careful with how he uses the attacker.

“There was no way that Cole could have started this game and played through to 60, 70, 80 minutes,” Rosenior explained.

“I knew Napoli had had a difficult time with injuries. I felt that later in the game we would be stronger and I felt Cole’s performance was magnificent. Not just his quality, his pressing, his running for the team.

“We need to look after him. He’s had so many games over a long period of time. We need to look after him and I think the way that he’s managed himself in the last two weeks has been magnificent and hopefully we can now see the best of him now that he’s fully fit.

“We need to see him absolutely relish nights like this on a big occasion.”

Rosenior also praised match-winner Joao Pedro and says there is more to come from the Brazilian.

“I think I’ve had very, very good conversations with him already, probably four in my office, I think he’s sick of my office, where I’ve said to him, if you play with intensity, with your quality, the quality comes out,” Rosenior said.

“The two goals are fantastic but the way he held the ball up for the team, the way he sprinted and started that press, the harder you work the better you are as a player and I’m very, very happy to have Joao in our team.”