Chelsea ran out 1-0 winners over Tottenham on Saturday evening courtesy of Joao Pedro’s first-half winner but the victory was far more comfortable than the scoreline suggests
Robert Sanchez insists Chelsea have the best midfielder in world football in “animal” Moises Caicedo. The all-action Ecuadorian was the beating heart of the Blues’ derby triumph at Tottenham, completing seven recoveries while also making four interceptions on top of his match-clinching assist for Joao Pedro.
Goalkeeper Sanchez said of Caicedo after Pedro’s first-half winner earned Chelsea all three points: “I don’t really need to talk about him but he’s an actual animal. He’s the best player on the planet in his position.
“He’s one of the best in the world, who is better than him in that position? He’s a beast. Every 50-50, every challenge he wins and is so composed on the ball.”
Sanchez also notes that Caicedo is still the same humble, softly-spoken character he first encountered in the canteen at Brighton when he was first acclimatising to the Premier League.
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He added: “I haven’t seen him change much. As a player and as a character, he’s always been the same, hard work, effort, quiet but a very good guy.
“Obviously, he’s filled out with his body a bit more with age and with experience, he’s just got better and better on the pitch.
“His confidence has also gone higher and higher. He’s a boss at winning the midfield.”
Only Arsenal have scored more Premier League goals than Tottenham from corners since the beginning of last season but Sanchez dominated his box to nullify Spurs’ set-piece threat and earn a priceless clean sheet.
Slowly but surely, the big Spaniard is beginning to win over supporters, too. He continued: “I enjoyed myself. When you play for one of the best teams in the world, a massive club, you’re always going to be under pressure when the team or you don’t perform.
“Obviously, being the last line of defence, normally you get the blame for it, even if it’s not yours but that’s the life I choose, that’s what I like and I enjoy it.
“I’ve got the confidence of my boys, the manager and the club to keep doing as good as I’m doing. “The whole entrance into Chelsea for me personally, was difficult. I came in a rush, only had about three days of training on how to start with a new manager, a new team and it was a bit of a struggle. “I got used to it then got a massive injury on my knee around Christmas which put me out for the rest of the season.
“Then I came back, got stronger, then a new manager came in again and new signings, so I had to start again. Now, I’m doing good.”
Chelsea’s dominant display – alongside the 4-3 Carabao Cup triumph at Wolves – was the perfect response to last weekend’s shock 2-1 home defeat at the hands of Sunderland.
Sanchez insists Enzo Maresca is delighted with the way his Club World Cup champions have bounced back. The 27-year-old shot-stopper said when quizzed on what his manager said in the dressing room post-match: “He said that it was amazing, that we had an unbelievable reaction.
“He said if we play like this every game, it’s pretty hard to lose a game. The 50-50s, challenges, set-pieces, helping everyone, creating chances.
“Against Sunderland we needed to do better and just learn from it. We’ve struggled this week mentally but at the same time, we’ve pushed hard to get those three points today.”
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Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £336 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
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