Enzo Maresca gives response in Moises Caicedo vs Declan Rice debate ahead of Chelsea vs Arsenal
Which midfielder will come out on top in this battle on Sunday?
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has had his say on the Moises Caicedo vs Declan Rice debate as his side prepare to take on Arsenal this weekend.
The Blues host the Gunners at Stamford Bridge for a top of the table clash, with Maresca’s side six points behind Mikel Arteta’s men and looking for a statement result to show they’re in this title race.
One imagines the battle between Caicedo and Rice will be key, and Maresca told his press conference that he sees that midfield contest as one key part of the game, though not the only one.
Enzo Maresca dodges question about which of Moises Caicedo or Declan Rice is the better player
When asked about Caicedo and Rice, Maresca was also not too keen to pick which one was best, and instead named the numerous other players he believes to be elite performers in that position in the Premier League.
“I think the Premier League is full of good players, very good midfielders,” the Italian tactician said.
“As you said, Moises, Declan, Rodri from City, [Elliot] Anderson from Nottingham Forest, [Bruno] Guimaraes from Newcastle. I think the Premier League is full of very good midfielders.”
He added: “It’s a big part but it’s not the only one. I think it’s 11v11, the ones that go on from the bench. The big picture is not just one part of the picture. It’s a big game, first versus second.”
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Can Chelsea get a result against Arsenal?
What Chelsea will want most of all is a victory against Arsenal after a lengthy wait, with the west Londoners not beating their north London rivals since August 2021.
In fact, they’ve lost eight of their last twelve meetings in all competitions against Arsenal, so they could really do with ending that run and picking up a crucial three points to close the gap at the top of the table.
Avoiding defeat will also be important, as that would keep the gap at six points, whereas an Arsenal victory would take them nine points ahead of Maresca’s men, which would surely be too big a gap even at this stage of the season.
What are your predictions for this big game? Let us know in the comments!