Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino admits he expects rough treatment for his young star Cole Palmer.

Palmer is having to handle extra attention from defenders at this stage of the season.

Pochettino said: "It's normal.

"If I play against Cole Palmer, I am going to tell my defensive line to be tough and not give him the chance to get the ball. That is going to be normal.

"Sometimes expectations play a very important role on a player when they are young. When we signed Palmer, nobody expected him to perform in the way he is performing, but maybe if we paid more, people put pressure on a guy who is young like him.

"For sure, we have talented players who need time. All are in a different level with expectation, pressure and everything, but we have a young team that needs to grow.

"This process is painful because when we don't win, it's tough and difficult for everyone and our fans. We know what we are doing but the process is not as fast as everyone expected."