Moises Caicedo must improve his decision-making after his ‘daft’ tackle on Mikel Merino deservedly saw him shown a red card, believes Jamie Carragher.
The Chelsea midfielder was initially booked for his late, high challenge on the Arsenal man in Sunday’s London derby.
Nonetheless, VAR intervened and the Ecuadorian was rightfully dismissed for the studs-up challenge which missed the ball and landed hard on the Spaniard’s ankle.
The sport was goalless on the time and ended 1-1, with Trevoh Chalobah putting the house side ahead before an equaliser from Merino.
Carragher has partially defended Caicedo, saying it was comprehensible he was pumped up for the massive derby and doesn’t consider he’s a ‘nasty’ player.
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However the Liverpool legend has seen similar from the 24-year-old before and says this was one other example of a challenge he didn’t have to make.
‘He was really pumped up, I believe we saw that right from the beginning of the sport. I believe the entire talk this week of [Declan] Rice vs Caicedo possibly got to him, understandably so,’ Carragher told Sky Sports.
‘It’s an enormous game, and he finally ends up getting himself involved in a challenge. Yes, it’s a red card, however it’s just daft to become involved in a tackle like that. He doesn’t have to.
‘He’s an excellent player. He wins the ball back fantastically well, but I believe he does tend where he can look clumsy with among the angles he can are available with, and I’m quite surprised that this is simply his first red card.’
Carragher recalls a poor Caicedo challenge on Liverpool’s Ryan Gravenberch within the 2024 Carabao Cup final, which ultimately went unpunished, but saw the Dutchman stretchered off.
Like Sunday’s red card, it was a tackle in the course of the pitch and the Reds hero says Caicedo must learn on when it’s price risking diving in.
‘I remember a challenge within the Carabao Cup final against Gravenberch a few years ago as well,’ Carragher continued. ‘It’s not because he’s a nasty player but that was a working example really, where he finally ends up facing his own goal to win a challenge, where mainly he’s got another person coming behind him, and he just doesn’t have to become involved.
‘He’s just got to watch out with that. He’s a unbelievable player, but he definitely must learn from that. I’m sure the manager will speak to him if he’s come out and said it was a definite red card, and that’s really good to listen to.’
Blues boss Enzo Maresca did indeed agree that it was a challenge warranting a red card, but he questioned the consistency of the refereeing.
Chelsea won 1-0 at Tottenham on November 1 and Maresca recalls an identical challenge from Rodrigo Bentancur on Reece James which didn’t result in a sending off.
‘It’s a red card. But why Bentancur against Reece was not red card after we played Spurs away?’ Maresca questioned.
‘In order managers, we struggle to grasp why they judge another way.
‘Moi is a red card, yes. Bentancur is red card, yes. Why don’t they offer them [both] red cards? It’s just that we struggle to grasp.
‘The fact is that it’s red card. But why they judge in several way?’
Metro on the Match: Chelsea 1-1 Arsenal
From Stamford Bridge, Metro’s Ben Fleming breaks down the winners and losers from Chelsea’s 1-1 draw with Arsenal.
Caicedo sees Red
The large midfield match-up between Rice and Caicedo fizzled out before half-time when the latter was sent off for a poor challenge on Merino. The Ecuadorian was solid up until that time, but his red card stunted what had been a powerful first half from the hosts.
Estevao shows his age
Estevao lit up Stamford Bridge in midweek against Barcelona but spurned one golden opportunity and was otherwise kept quiet by Calafiori before making way on the break. Perhaps an indication from Chelsea fans to not expect the world from this mercurial teenager just yet.
James delivers a captain’s performance
A real captain’s display from James in front of his home fans. Ran the show in midfield, even before Caicedo’s departure, and continued in that vein after the break, providing the assist for Chalobah’s goal with an excellent set-piece delivery.
Chelsea match rankings: Sanchez 7, Gusto 7, Fofana 5, Chalobah 7, Cucurella 7, James 9, Caicedo 3, Estevao 5, Enzo 6, Neto 7, Joao Pedro 6. Subs: Garnacho 6, Delap 6.
Merino the makeshift no more
Viktor Gyokeres was a welcome return to the Arsenal bench, but might he must wait for his opportunity? Mikel Merino continues to exceed expectations leading the road, and showed true striker’s instinct to ghost behind Fofana and head Arsenal level.
Hincapie up for the fight
Starting his second successive league game, it’s clear to see what Arsenal saw in Hincapie. The left-footed centre-back is rough around the perimeters, but a bundle of aggression in each boxes, and virtually licked his lips with enjoyment after dispossessing Neto inside his own box.
Arsenal match rankings: Raya 6, Timber 7, Mosquera 6, Hincapie 7, Calafiori 7, Rice 7, Zubimendi 6, Eze 6, Saka 7, Martinelli 6, Merino 8. Subs: Lewis-Skelly 7, Madueke 6, Odegaard 6, Gyokeres 6.
Caicedo’s red card was his first in 130 Premier League appearances, while he has picked up 36 yellow cards in that point.
He’ll now be suspended for 3 games, meaning he’ll miss Premier League clashes with Leeds, Bournemouth and Everton.
Nonetheless, he’ll have the option to play against Atalanta within the Champions League on December 9 because the ban doesn’t extend to European competition.
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