[Getty Images]Nizaar Kinsella - Chelsea reporterSun, November 30, 2025 at 9:15 PM UTC·1 min readThis match was billed as a battle between superstar midfielders Moises Caicedo and Declan Rice.
Yet Chelsea lost their star man and played 61 minutes without their player of the year from last season, when you include the added time from both halves.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementCaicedo has been so integral that he has started all but one Premier League game -last weekend's win at Burnley - since Enzo Maresca took charge 18 months ago.
Given his influence, few expected Chelsea to maintain their high level of performance without him. But that is exactly what happened.
Captain Reece James was sensational as a makeshift midfielder - competing against Rice, who he played with in Chelsea's academy - highlighting his ability to play multiple roles since Maresca came in.
Maresca also kept urging his side to attack, introducing Alejandro Garnacho and Liam Delap in the second half. It was particularly interesting given Maresca was self-critical about needing to learn about how to play with 10 men amid a spate of red cards in September and October.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIndiscipline remains an issue as Chelsea have received four red cards in 13 league games this season, twice as many as any other team
It is the earliest into a Premier League campaign the Blues have had four players dismissed. They last received more red cards (five) in 2015-16.
On the flip side, Chelsea also showed they can cope without Caicedo, who will now miss Wednesday's trip to Leeds.
