Chelsea’s Enzo Maresca Names Top Midfielders In EPL, Palmer Returns For Arsenal Clash

Chelsea manager, Enzo Maresca, has played down the view that Moises Caicedo and Declan Rice stand alone as the two outstanding midfielders in the Premier League, insisting that several others sit comfortably in the same bracket.

Enzo Maresca shared his thoughts while speaking to journalists ahead of Chelsea’s home meeting with Arsenal on Sunday. The Italian tactician pointed to Manchester City’s Rodri, Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson and Newcastle United’s Bruno Guimaraes as players who match the quality Caicedo and Rice bring to the pitch.

Responding to a question about whether Rice and Caicedo are the best in the league, he replied, as quoted by Metro UK: “I think the Premier League is full of good players, very good midfielders.

“As you said, Moises, Declan, Rodri from Manchester City, Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest, [Bruno] Guimaraes from Newcastle.”

His comments surfaced shortly after Arsenal legend Paul Merson named Caicedo and Rice as the two best midfielders in world football at the moment.

Chelsea’s preparations for the weekend clash have been lifted by the news that Cole Palmer is fit to return. The England international fractured his toe in an unusual incident last week after stubbing it on a door, which ruled him out of victories over Burnley and Barcelona.

“He is available to start,” Enzo Maresca confirmed. “Everyone is happy, the team-mates are happy, we are all happy, and the most important thing is Cole is happy because a footballer wants to play games and attend sessions every day.

“He is our best player, we are happy he is back. We need to give him time to be 100% fit. He has done fantastically in the past, and no doubt he is going to do very well for this club in the future.”

Earlier in the week, Maresca had suggested that Sunday’s match might come too soon for the 23-year-old. His return is a welcome boost for a Chelsea side sitting second behind Arsenal. A win at Stamford Bridge would close the gap at the top of the table to three points.

Palmer last appeared in the 2-1 defeat at Manchester United on 20 September. Chelsea have played 13 matches since then across all competitions, winning ten, losing two and drawing one. He moved to Stamford Bridge from Manchester City for an initial fee of £40 million in September 2023 and has finished as the team’s top scorer in each of the last two Premier League seasons.

Source: Naijanews