Chelsea and Brentford played out a dull 0-0 last week with Maresca’s side dropping valuable points in the race for Champions League qualification.
The West London club remain in fourth place despite the draw, but Newcastle remain hot on their heels, one point behind in fifth with a game in hand.
Both Palmer and Jackson were brought on in the second-half, but neither could break down a stubborn Brentford defence.
Speaking ahead of Chelsea’s Europa Conference League clash with Legia Warsaw, Maresca defended the decision to drop his two most potent attacking players.
He told reporters: "Probably from outside, you receive in the wrong way the reason why Cole and Nico didn't play.
“They didn't play, not because we want to rest them for Thursday. They didn't play because there was a game plan, because Brentford had 24 hours (rest) more than us, because some of the players were tired.
“So we planned the game to start in one way, and then to finish with Cole, with Nico, with Pedro (Neto), with four or five changes.
“And it nearly worked, because we deserved to win, especially in the last half an hour, but it was all planned. But we didn't decide to leave them out for Thursday.
"No, no, no. It was because we planned the game in that way, because they needed it."