Moises Caicedo, who made an impression in the 1-1 draw between Chelsea and Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday. This result left Chelsea without the chance to move up to third place.
Chelsea was at risk of a worse outcome, as Bruno Fernandes put United ahead with a penalty 20 minutes from full time.
However, Caicedo leveled the score with a stunning volley, and Chelsea had an opportunity to win it late, though Enzo Fernandez missed a promising chance.
Paul Scholes expressed admiration for Caicedo, saying he would have enjoyed playing alongside him.
Caicedo earned the title of Chelsea’s man of the match and has shown renewed energy and form under Enzo Maresca’s guidance this season.
The Ecuadorian midfielder seems to have returned to his best form, reminiscent of his days at Brighton, and is possibly the league’s top midfielder, though Maresca refrained from making such a claim himself.
Currently, Caicedo and Romeo Lavia are Chelsea’s preferred midfield pairing, with Jamie Redknapp observing that Caicedo seems to perform better with Lavia than with Fernandez.
After the game, Scholes described Caicedo as the kind of player he would have liked to play alongside during his career.
“Moises Caicedo is the type of player you want to play with, you need that type of player,” he told the Premier League’s official website as quoted by The Chelsea Chronicle.
“He was probably the best out of the four [on the pitch].”
Caicedo and Lavia seem to provide Chelsea with stronger midfield balance, making the team more defensively secure when they play together.
It’s likely that the 22-year-old will be rested on Thursday when Chelsea face Noah in the Conference League, with a major London derby against Arsenal coming up at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
