Chelsea fans convinced Cole Palmer is aiming a dig at under-fire boss Enzo Maresca with cryptic Instagram post

Chelsea fans think Cole Palmer has aimed a not-so-subtle dig at manager Enzo Maresca on Instagram. 

The 22-year-old shared a clip of himself scoring a brilliant goal in the 6-0 demolition of Everton under Mauricio Pochettino last season – a game in which he scored four. 

He added the word ‘enjoyment’ to his post, with fans claiming he is making a contrast with the current situation under Maresca’s leadership. 

The clip is of Palmer dribbling past players before exchanging a one-two with Nicolas Jackson and then firing past Jordan Pickford. 

It was a thumping win in April last year just as Pochettino’s men looked to be making real progress. But the Argentine only took charge of eight more fixtures before leaving Stamford Bridge. 

Fans are convinced that Palmer’s post is a swipe at under-fire boss Maresca, with the Blues battling to finish in a Champions League position. 

The 2-2 draw at home against lowly Ipswich at the weekend was a worrying result given the intense battle for fifth and supporters think Palmer was sending a message. 

One wrote: ‘100% a dig at the current situation.’

Another added: ‘Clearly missing Poch ball when he had more freedom also his way of saying that Maresca ball is not good enough!!’

‘Maresca ball is killing him’ and ‘change the system or he’s gone in the summer’, were two more similar takes.

Whether the cryptic post was indeed a pointed dig at the current regime or simply Palmer posting a fond memory is only known by the man himself. 

But the prescriptive approach and strict style of play under Maresca, noted by many of the fans reacting to the post online, has been a running theme in recent weeks. 

After a 1-0 win over the manager’s former side Leicester, the boss was asked about fans booing Enzo Fernandez passing backwards rather than looking to deliver a positive ball. 

He said: ‘Yeah, but the good thing is that Fernandez knows that if he doesn’t play back, I will change him. 

Some fans are claiming that Palmer’s post is a dig at current Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca

Palmer won the Chelsea Player of the Year award under Mauricio Pochettino last season

‘If the ‘keeper plays long, I will change him. This is what we have.’

Evidently, the Chelsea players are under strict instructions about how to develop play and adopt their manager’s philosophy to the letter, a contrast to the freedom afforded by Pochettino last term. 

Palmer has not scored in the Premier League since January and the team desperately need him to recapture his best form for the run-in. 

Chelsea are currently sixth, one point behind Man City but have only won once in their last four outings in the top flight.