A lip reader has revealed what Noni Madueke told Cole Palmer in the immediate aftermath of Chelsea’s defeat to Arsenal in the Carabao Cup semi-final on Tuesday night.

Palmer started on the bench for the game at the Emirates Stadium and was brought on as a second-half substitute with Chelsea needing to overturn a 3-2 defeat from the first leg at Stamford Bridge.

However, Liam Rosenior’s side struggled to trouble Arsenal, who went on to snatch a late 1-0 win with Kai Havertz’s goal in injury time to secure their place in the Carabao Cup final against Manchester City at Wembley on March 22.

After the full-time whistle, television cameras caught Madueke having a conversation with his former teammate Palmer as they left the pitch.

According to professional lip-reader Nicola Hickling who studied the footage for Compare.bet, Madueke was talking to Palmer about his hopes of making England’s squad for the World Cup this summer.

Madueke is said to have told Palmer: ‘That’s what I’m saying to you. You know what the plan is. Just come back. It won’t harm you. Take it. You should play at the World Cup.’

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