Jamie Carragher has cautioned Chelsea fans that Cole Palmer “might not be the same player” this season, following an impressive debut campaign at Stamford Bridge.

Carragher also predicted that new manager Enzo Maresca could be sacked before the end of the season, amid Chelsea’s ongoing struggles.

Despite Chelsea’s inconsistencies last season, Palmer stood out with a sensational performance, scoring 22 goals and providing 11 assists in 33 Premier League games.

The young star formed a strong bond with former manager Mauricio Pochettino and expressed his disappointment when Pochettino left at the end of the campaign.

Speaking on The Overlap, Carragher reflected on Chelsea’s recent history and the impact of new ownership on the club’s fortunes. “What people forget in this era of Pep [Guardiola] and [Jurgen] Klopp is that Chelsea were so close to breaking in,” Carragher said.

“They beat Man City in a Champions League final and then lost two finals on penalties to Liverpool. Thomas Tuchel could take on Klopp and Pep in one-off games.”

Carragher criticized the club’s new ownership, describing it as a “disaster” for the team’s current state. “They’ve brought in all these new players but it’s only Cole Palmer who looks a tasty player,” he added.

Carragher emphasized Pochettino’s role in Palmer’s success, suggesting that the player’s future performance could be uncertain under Maresca.

“My worry for Chelsea is that Pochettino deserves a lot of credit for how Palmer performed last season. No one expected that, not even Pep, otherwise he wouldn’t have sold him.

“So they might not have that Cole Palmer this season. I’m sure they will because I think he’s fantastic but a new manager has come in so it’s different,” Carragher explained.

Carragher also expressed skepticism about Maresca’s tenure as Chelsea’s manager, especially given the challenging pre-season and their opening match against Manchester City.

“The way Chelsea’s pre-season has gone… they’ve got Man City first game of the season… I’ll be surprised if Maresca is still the manager come the end of the season, very surprised,” he concluded.

As the new season approaches, Chelsea fans will be keenly watching to see how Palmer adapts under Maresca and whether the club can navigate its way back to success.