Chelsea interim manager Calum McFarlane has moved to defend Cole Palmer, insisting the narrative around his performances this season is unfair as he backed the Blues’ talisman to explode in time for the World Cup. After his breakout year in 2023–24, the English midfielder has struggled to match those heights. The current campaign has been particularly challenging for Palmer, who was diagnosed with a troublesome groin injury in just the second week of the season and has been battling to overcome it ever since. His return of 10 goals across all competitions is well below the 18 he managed last season and falls comfortably short of the 27 racked up under Mauricio Pochettino, but McFarlane insisted a drop in performance is not behind Palmer’s decreased numbers. “It’s been a difficult period for Cole,” McFarlane stressed. “He’s had his first injury that he’s pretty much ever had in his career and he’s had to learn how to deal with that. “I don’t agree with the narrative that he isn’t playing well.…