Enzo Maresca refuses to be drawn into one on one comparisons between Chelsea and Arsenal stars

Enzo Maresca is taking his press conference ahead of this weekend’s game against Arsenal, and there’s a lot to talk about for the Chelsea boss.

Fresh from beating Barcelona in one of the biggest statement wins of his time at the club the coach is facing the only team above his in the Premier League.

Maresca plays down Rice – Caicedo comparisons

Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo in a photo montage.

One of the big battles in the game will see two of the league’s most in form players come up against each other – the Moises Caicedo to Declan Rice comparisons have been made since each made their respective moves to their current clubs, but has also gone up a gear now both are in such good form.

As you’d expect, when asked to compare them, Maresca dodged the question a little and chose to point to the wide variety of top midfielders in the league:

“I think the Premier League is full of good players. Moi and Declan, Rodri from City, Anderson from Forest, Guimaraes from Newcastle – the Premier League is full of very good midfielders,” the manager said.

“It’s a big part [the battle] but it’s eleven vs. eleven.”

He’s right, but it’s hard to see any area being more important for the course of the game than that one. Arsenal are such a physically dominant team that the Blues need to compete in there, and Caicedo is just the man to do it. But it won’t be easy, that’s for sure.

In other Arsenal news…

Cole Palmer is back for this game and could even start, according to Enzo Maresca who today announced his star man is ready to go.

Chelsea’s team for Sunday’s game still isn’t clear, and Sky also pointed out that Maresca’s endless changes in defence making predicting his team very difficult.