If things had gone differently, Moises Caicedo could have been wearing the red of Manchester United instead of the blue of Chelsea. Back to reality, the Ecuadorian midfielder scored a wonderful equaliser to help the Blues leave Old Trafford with a valuable point.
The Red Devils tried to sign Caicedo from Ecuadorian side Independiente del Valle before he moved to Brighton, who then joined Chelsea in a £115m deal in 2023.
The huge transfer fee has put the 23-year-old under pressure at Stamford Bridge, but after an underwhelming first season with the Blues, Caicedo is finally starting to show the form he showed at Brighton.
Caicedo’s goal against Man United was a spectacular volley from the edge of the box. It was a difficult piece of skill, but Caicedo executed it perfectly and Onana had no chance. The home goalkeeper seemed unable to react to the speed of the ball.
In addition to the equalizer, Caicedo also contributed to Chelsea's overall play in many aspects. The Ecuadorian player had 60 touches, 84% accurate passes, 1 key pass, 2/3 accurate long passes, 2/3 successful dribbles and won 8/16 duels...
Caicedo's overall performance earned him the Man of the Match award, with the 23-year-old midfielder and team-mate Romeo Lavia completely stifling Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte on the other side of the pitch.
Chelsea are still a work in progress under coach Enzo Maresca, but if he can maintain his form consistently, Caicedo will help the Blues make a big step forward this season.
Lavia's return to central midfield has freed Caicedo up. Lavia takes on a defensive support role, relieving Caicedo of too much responsibility and allowing him to focus on his own game.
"Since we arrived at the club, Moises Caicedo is doing very well. He is improving a lot. We are trying to give him time to improve his skills. And Caicedo is showing how good he is.
"He needs a little more time to adapt. Chelsea is a big club, one of the best clubs in the world. So when players come to Chelsea, it's not like they shine right away. You might need a little time to adapt and now Caicedo is proving how good he is" - Maresca commented on his student.
