Are Chelsea outside challengers for the Premier League title this season?
Based on the weekend’s results, they are, as Enzo Maresca’s Blues comfortably got the better of Burnley 2-0 on the road to remain second spot in the early league standings, while Liverpool and Manchester City fell to unwanted defeats.
Maresca’s men managed to pick up that routine win, even with Moises Caicedo out of the starting lineup at Turf Moor, as Chelsea’s standout £115m midfielder was rested after a gruelling international break with Ecuador.
Thankfully, the defensive midfield partnership that did start in Lancashire in Enzo Fernandez and Andrey Santos rose to the occasion, with Santos stealing many of the plaudits at the full-time whistle, despite Fernandez’s late strike sealing all three points.
Santos' standout performance vs Burnley
Fernandez rightfully received plenty of praise at the final whistle, with the World Cup winner now up to 11 goals and ten assists in 2025 for the Blues as a forward-thinking midfield spark.
But, with Caicedo out of the starting XI, Chelsea also needed a talent prepared to dig deep and do the required defensive work that the South American does week in week out, with the 24-year-old averaging 5.2 ball recoveries and winning 5.4 duels per Premier League contest this season, away from also chipping in with three goals and an assist.
Thankfully, Santos stepped up into his role effortlessly against Scott Parker’s hosts, with two tackles won, seven duels won, and four ball recoveries amassed, showing off the 21-year-old’s full-blooded approach.
On top of that, Santos also ended the game with one big chance created from his 34 accurate passes, with analyst Raj Chohan even stating that he provides a “lot of value” to the team as a stellar stand-in option for the likes of Caicedo.
The promising number 17 will hope he can get more first-team minutes soon, away from being in the shadow of the ex-Brighton and Hove Albion man.
But, he isn’t the only midfield asset being directly compared to Caicedo now.
Chelsea's next Caicedo
It’s clear that Chelsea have great faith in the youngsters rising the ranks at Stamford Bridge currently, with Maresca prepared to start a whole plethora of exciting, young talents, away from just throwing Santos into the first-team spotlight.
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Indeed, in attack, Estevao has been handed chances galore this season to impress, with a Premier League goal and assist coming the hotly tipped Brazilian’s way subsequently.
Moreover, Marc Guiu would gift Fernandez his goal at Turf Moor on a plate, with the 19-year-old now becoming a regular impact player off the bench. Could Dario Essugo be the next starlet to make a wild impression?
Already, the £18.5m summer purchase – despite only being 20 years of age – has shone in some challenging environments for two loan sides in Chaves and Las Palmas in Liga Portugal and La Liga respectively.
His attritional, yet polished displays, have even led to scout Jacek Kulig hailing the Portuguese enforcer as a “one-man army.”
Moreover, Kulig also boldly labelled Essugo as “one of the most exciting DMs in Europe” for his continued excellence with Las Palmas, even as they succumbed to relegation.
In the current Chelsea set-up, based on his numbers last season in that relegation-troubled camp, he would surely shine as bright as Caicedo has managed in West London.
Games played
18
27
Goals scored
0
1
Assists
0
0
Touches*
40.8
48.4
Accurate passes*
24.5 (85%)
30.0 (86%)
Tackles*
1.7
2.2
Ball recoveries*
4.2
4.4
Clearances*
1.7
1.6
Total duels won*
5.3
4.9
Looking at the table above, it’s clear that Essugo will be prepared to battle and tussle for Chelsea when first-team chances eventually arrive at his door, winning 4.9 duels per game last season in La Liga action, not a million miles off Caicedo’s 5.4 tally this campaign back in England.
Unfortunately, the only drawback for Essugo so far is that he is sidelined with a nasty injury at the moment, but he did shine briefly in Caicedo’s place against AC Milan in pre-season, with 100% of his ground duels won from just 17 minutes of action.
Thankfully, Maresca has Santos to fall back on in defensive midfield for the time being, if Caicedo continues to look fatigued.
But, do not rule out Essugo exploding onto the scene when he returns from the treatment room, with Chelsea’s midfield options full to the brim with quality.
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