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Following their key roles in the victory over Aston Villa, Roy Keane praised Chelsea’s midfield tandem of Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez as “absolutely outstanding.”
And given their statistics from the FA Cup victory last night, it’s understandable why the notoriously picky Irishman was heaping praise on the £222 million superstars.
Chelsea’s comeback victory over Villa 3-1 secured their place in the fifth round, with Caicedo and Fernandez showcasing their brilliance.
Caicedo, who held the line between midfield and defense, ultimately filled the shoes of his predecessor, N’Golo Kante.
Fernandez’s constant movement and passing, however, repeatedly pulled Villa apart and relieved Mauricio Pochettino’s pressure.
Even more impressive was the Argentina World Cup winner’s free kick, which sailed into Emi Martinez’s net’s upper corner.
Remarkable former Manchester United midfielder Keane offered a unique compliment to the pair.
“Very excellent, the two of them controlled that midfield,” he remarked.
They gave off an aggressive, powerful appearance. Their decision-making was superb, and their passing was brief.
“They appeared robust and muscular. Excellent.
Keane’s admiration for Fernandez and Caicedo is evident when one looks at their statistics.
The heat maps of both players are quite fascinating to look at, as they exhibit a definite lack of fear when moving around the field with gusto.
They also have excellent passing maps, with Fernandez having more influence in the last third of the game and Caicedo’s deep presence assisting Chelsea in building from the back.
Axel Disasi, Benoit Badiashile, and Caicedo made a triangle, demonstrating Caicedo’s dedication to the game’s foundation.
The top player from Ecuador made three tackles, recovered the ball twice, and forced four fouls from irate opponents.
Nevertheless, Caicedo also shown his technical ability, completing 58 passes, touching the ball 76 times, and even managing two attempts on target.
Fernandez, on the other hand, was spared the grunt work but went on to have greater freedom in the future.
He was involved in two tackles and recovered the ball four times.
Fernandez got on the ball 62 times and fired off 47 passes.
And one of his two attempts did go in as a goal, causing Fernandez to celebrate with exuberant Chelsea supporters while pulling off his jersey in delight.
On social media, fans were praising the pair profusely.
“Finally, Caicedo and Enzo PR,” stated one. I used to pray for situations such as this.
“Excellent performance from Caicedo and Enzo today,” said a second.
Someone observed: “They gave a master class.” More is on the way.
“Enzo and Caicedo cooked,” another person said.
