Liam Rosenior is not frustrated by Cole Palmer's availability ahead of Chelsea's Premier League clash with Wolves.
After a stellar 2024-25 campaign, Palmer has managed just 22 appearances in all competitions this season due to persistent injury struggles.
The England international has still managed to register 12 goal contributions (eight goals, four assists), the fourth-highest tally in the Chelsea squad.
Palmer was introduced off the bench in the 60th minute of the Blues' EFL Cup defeat to Arsenal on Tuesday, but he was unable to make an impact for Rosenior's side, who went down 1-0 on the night and 4-2 on aggregate.
"You want all of your players to be 100%, 100% of the time, but that is not going to happen," Rosenior said of Palmer's injury troubles.
"Frustration isn't the word – I'm trying to get the best out of him and the rest of the team all the time while taking into account the games coming up.
"It's not about not being able to play him in some games, it's making sure he feels right and contributing to the team the way he wants to."
Rosenior confirmed Palmer, along with Estevao, should be fit to face Wolves, with Chelsea out to win four consecutive Premier League matches.
All of their last three wins have come under Rosenior. His predecessor, Enzo Maresca, only managed one run of four wins in a row across his 57 games in charge, winning five on the bounce between November and December 2024.
Chelsea won the corresponding fixture 6-2 last season but have not won consecutive Premier League away games against Wolves since their first two visits in September 2003 (5-0) and February 2010 (2-0).
In that victory at Molineux, Palmer starred by notching a goal, while also teeing up all three of Noni Madueke's strikes as he netted his first senior hat-trick.
That level has since dropped, but when questioned on when Palmer could be back to his "normal" form, Rosenior leapt to the defence of the midfielder.
"Another hypothetical question. We have the best medical team in the world and the best sports science team in the world, and we want to make sure the players can play to the level needed to help us win," Rosenior said.
"There isn't a time frame – that he's going to be perfect in one month or two or three – it's just game by game. His best position is on the pitch."