MOST players dream of scoring screamers – but Mosies Caicedo wants to add more simple goals to his Chelsea collection.
Caicedo added to his reel of spectacular strikes when he blasted the Blues into the lead against Liverpool at Stamford Bridge last weekend. After dispossessing Alexis Mac Allister in midfield, Caicedo drove forward before arrowing a 22-yard shot past goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili into the top-left corner in the fourteenth minute.
Arnie Slot’s defending champions equalised through Cody Gakpo in the 62nd minute.
Chelsea’s chance to win it appeared to have gone when Enzo Fernandez hit the post with a header late on. But five minutes into stoppage-time, Estevao Willian slid in at the back post to finish Marc Cucurella’s cross and sparks wild scenes, with boss Enzo Maresca sent off after sprinting to the corner to join the celebrations.
Caicedo scored a superb goal against Brentford this season, after previous brilliant strikes against Bournemouth, Manchester United and Real Betis.
“One day I am going to do it,” Caicedo joked about getting an easier goal. “I play as a midfielder and I’m always outside the D, that’s it.
“When I hit it, for sure I knew the ball was going to go in. I ran to the corner to celebrate with the players and the fans.
“It was special for me because it was against a great opponent. For sure I want to score goals to help the team, and it was a great goal. I told myself I had to score a goal from outside the box, and I did it.”
Caicedo, 23, is having a storming season and has been compared to previous Blues midfield greats N’Golo Kante and Claude Makelele.
Caicedo said: “It’s so good the fans love me, but for sure I am very far from N’Golo Kante or Makelele.
“What they did here was a lot. I am going to keep working because I want to become a legend here and reach a lot of things with this amazing club.”
Caicedo added: “It was a great feeling when Estevao scored. He is doing a great job here and we are so happy to have him here.
“You can see on the pitch he is so good, it’s the same in training. He is showing his quality. We try to help him because the Premier League is so difficult. He is having an impact.”
Maresca will serve a one-match suspension at Nottingham Forest after the international break. He will be allowed in the City Ground away dressing before the game, at half-time and at full-time.
Blues assistant coach Willy Caballero was on media duty after Maresca’s sending-off. Brazil international Estevao, 18, joined the Blues this summer from Palmeiras and it was his first goal on his fourth league start.
“We know that a young player can suffer when he moves from another country to settle down here and to play for this club,” Caballero said.
“So the players, first of all, are doing a great job to involve all the new players. And when we have the chance, we work.
“I can speak with him most of the time in Spanish because he understands. And he’s a really good kid. And we are so happy for him because he needs it, we need it, and he needs a goal as well.”
