Chelsea - Moises Caicedo
Image credit: Getty Images
Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo has made a bold statement about his team’s performance despite their 1-0 defeat to Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday.
The Gunners returned to winning ways with a hard-fought victory at the Emirates Stadium, with Spanish midfielder Mikel Merino continuing to impress in an unfamiliar attacking role. Arsenal, who had drawn their previous two league matches, secured a crucial three points as Merino headed home Martin Ødegaard’s corner in the 20th minute.
Despite comfortably advancing to the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals with a dominant 9-3 aggregate win over PSV Eindhoven, Arsenal’s Premier League title hopes have faded. Mikel Arteta’s side now trails league leaders Liverpool by 12 points with just nine matches remaining.
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Injuries have hampered Arsenal’s squad, leaving them without a recognised centre-forward since February. Key attackers Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz, and Bukayo Saka have all been sidelined, forcing Arteta to push Merino into a more advanced role. The adjustment has paid off, with the Spaniard proving instrumental, having also scored the decisive goals in Arsenal’s previous 2-0 victory over Leicester City.
Moises Caicedo v Arsenal
Moises Caicedo against Arsenal stars Thomas Partey and Gabriel Martinelli (Image credit: Getty Images)
Despite Arsenal dominating large parts of the match, Caicedo believes Chelsea showed they were the better team.
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“They have been working together for seven years, and we have only been together for two, yet we showed we were better than them, and that’s a positive sign!” Caicedo said.
He added: “The team is good, and we are working hard to win games. We want to show character, play our best football, and win matches like this.”
On Chelsea’s hopes of securing a top-four finish, Caicedo remained optimistic: “We want to play Champions League football next season. The teams around us are close, but we are focused on ourselves because that is the most important thing. Champions League qualification is our target.”
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