Chelsea player who shone against Burnley pushing for more starts despite Caicedo form

This is a syndication of the article originally published for the BBC, here.

Chelsea’s win over Burnley was achieved without Moises Caicedo or Cole Palmer having to play a minute, something we haven’t seen too often in the last couple of years.

Without the injured Palmer, the team have had to scratch around for goals and rely on Caicedo’s phenomenal form both to help them create their own chances as well as to help prevent the opposition doing the same. On the rare occasion they’ve tried to leave the Ecuadorian out of their starting lineup, they’ve been forced to bring him on post-haste once it became clear how helpless the team were without him.

Santos shows what he can do with star man out

Andrey Santos speaks to Chelsea TV.

Even in this game, as the first half wore on, if felt like things might be going that way. It was a slow start from the Blues, and they lacked any control in the middle. “How long can Enzo Maresca last before he brings on his main midfield dynamo,” wondered plenty of fans and pundits.

Fortunately for Chelsea – and for Caicedo’s legs – it wasn’t necessary. A lovely goal which came from nowhere put the Blues ahead and forced Burnley to open up more. It was still tense through the second half, with Maresca’s team once again striking just as things were about to get really worrying to seal the win.

It was a game where they just needed to get the job done, and they did that in the end. Andrey Santos played the game as Caicedo’s understudy, and while the team weren’t totally convincing, his did his bit in attack and in defence to make up for the key man’s absence.

With three important points in the bag, all attention turns now to this week’s far more important tests against Barcelona and Arsenal, where we will find out how good this team really are 18 months into Maresca’s reign.

Will Faulks @willfaulks