Morgan Rogers has come out swinging in defence of his Chelsea team-mate and childhood friend Cole Palmer, insisting that any suggestion the 24-year-old is not committed to England is both "a lie" and "nonsense."

Rogers made his comments on BBC Radio 5 Live after scoring the opening goal in England's 2-1 Uefa Nations League victory over Croatia at Wembley on Wednesday — a match also notable for Harry Kane making his record-breaking 126th appearance for the men's side.

Palmer's absence from the squad

Palmer was not part of the squad for the Croatia fixture. Manager Thomas Tuchel had previously said Palmer "misses too many chances to impress," and the Chelsea forward was also left out of England's World Cup squad. He had withdrawn from the previous camp in September, citing a minor injury.

Rogers, however, pushed back firmly on any notion that those absences reflect a lack of desire. "He wants to be here," Rogers told BBC Radio 5 Live. "He wanted to get called up and he wanted to come and represent his country as he always has done."

Rogers added that Palmer had been dealing with physical difficulties. "He was in quite a low place with his injuries last year and didn't feel 100% himself on the pitch, so he wants to be here and he wants to be the best version of himself."

"It has nothing to do with England or not wanting to play with England. It's a nonsense really that people are questioning someone that wants to play for England. It's a lie. You see the joy and smile on his face, how much he loves the game, so I honestly don't get it and he doesn't get it."

Struggles under Tuchel

Since his England debut three years ago, Palmer has accumulated just 14 caps, netting two goals — including one in the Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain — and contributing one assist. Those numbers stand in sharp contrast to his Premier League record of 50 goals and 24 assists for Chelsea.

He was named England's men's player of the year for the 2023-24 season, yet has featured in only three of Tuchel's 27 games since the German succeeded Gareth Southgate. Palmer missed the World Cup after a difficult run of form, though England went on to finish third, losing to Argentina in the semi-final.

Tuchel addressed Palmer's situation this week, saying: "We have enough number 10s and we stick to the guys who were in the previous camp because we were happy with the two and a half weeks we had together." He added: "It's not personal. We will never assume Cole is in the mindset never to come to the camp. Cole is always in our mindset but the competition is on."

Bellingham an example to follow

Former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson pointed to Jude Bellingham as a reason for Palmer to remain optimistic. As recently as last October, Bellingham was left out of the squad for a friendly against Wales and a World Cup qualifier against Latvia, only to become one of England's most important players at the World Cup — scoring seven goals.

"There was a lesson in his management skills with Jude Bellingham and I wouldn't be surprised if he's doing the same now," Robinson said on BBC Radio 5 Live, suggesting Tuchel may be using similar methods to motivate Palmer.