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This weekend pundits drooled over more than two Premier League Especially the midfielders. Micah Richards called Declan Rice Jamie Redknapp described him as “one of the best players in world football”. Moises Caicedo As “the best of its kind in world football”. Jamie Carragher praised both and said: “We are looking at two of the best midfielders in world football right now, there’s no doubt about that.”
Putting aside how annoying the phrase “world football” has become, they have a point. Both Rice and Caicedo are doing exceptional midfield things every week. on saturday, Declan Rice arrived at the scene With a flying leap into the box to power in a header at Burnley and, a few hours later, Caicedo was tackling three Tottenham players Six seconds in, the third of which set up João Pedro to score.
Watching Caicedo is a bit like watching N’Golo Kane at his peak, running after his own teammates to torch the entire pitch, and playing against him is probably frustrating beyond belief. His ability not only to fill the right space, but also to impact the game when he gets there, usually with a timely interception or tackle, is exceptionally rare and unlike any other in the Premier League, as the statistics show.
“He’s a real animal,” said Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez after the 2–0 win at Spurs. “He’s the best player on the planet in his position… Who’s better than him in that position? He’s a beast. Every 50-50, every challenge he wins and he’s very calm on the ball.” You can understand the appreciation – when Caicedo plays well, Sanchez has a real expectation of keeping a clean sheet.
Caicedo is essential for Chelsea, like rice is important for everything armory Do it now. The comparison between the two is not entirely fair, given that Caicedo is the most defensive player in Chelsea’s midfield and Rice plays alongside a holding player – usually Martin Zubimendi – and this difference is reflected in the data. Rice makes important contributions in defense but his impact is increasingly on the attacking side.
Rice is second in the Premier League in terms of ball-carry distance, behind only Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson (more on Anderson later), and in addition to his runs with the ball he has added other threats over the past 12 months, such as his knack for timing off-the-ball runs into the box and his ability to fire dead-ball missiles over Gabriel’s forehead. Just as Caicedo stands out for defensive duties, Rice comes top of the heap for expected assists among Premier League midfielders.
There are some notable omissions in this season’s data. Rodri has barely played over the past year, but there is no doubt he will return to the conversation as the only Premier League player to win the Ballon d’Or domestically. Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis McAllister have missed some games and therefore have not had enough time to make the cut, although both were instrumental in Liverpool’s title win. Dominic Szoboszlai He has recorded some impressive numbers and Liverpool are a better side when he plays in midfield rather than as a makeshift right-back.
It’s worth considering some other players in the conversation for the Premier League’s outstanding midfielder. bruno fernandes Has adapted well to his deeper role this season, or perhaps he hasn’t adapted at all, still playing high-risk passes and instigating most of Manchester United’s offensive play (1.31 expected assists, second among central midfielders). Combined with his high number of ball recoveries (61, joint second), Fernandes’ all-round output is exceptional, even if he sometimes gets stuck in his defensive position.
Then there’s Anderson, who has been making stellar contributions to the Forest. Thomas Tuchel had no hesitation in handing the England No. 6 shirt earlier this year and saying “it’s yours” ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Anderson’s statistics have been extremely impressive in a poor Forest team, leading the way with penetration in the final third (121, first among central midfielders), while also topping the league among midfielders for ball recoveries (84) – although a little more recovery is required for a team finishing 19th in the table.
Who is the best midfielder in the Premier League at the moment? Rice is undoubtedly an excellent all-rounder, but Caicedo may beat him by the narrowest of margins due to his high number of steals – no player in Europe’s top five leagues has recorded more tackles and interceptions and is a freak talent.
Caicedo is a consistent destroyer of attacks, but he is also a creator in the sense that his interventions regularly inspire Chelsea’s own forward moves, often dangerous when opponents feel they have control. His goal against Sunderland last weekend was an example as Caicedo played the ball into midfield before feeding Pedro Neto, who played Alejandro Garnacho through to score. The 24-year-old has also begun to add goal contributions to his game, as have Rodri and Rice, with four goals this term. The tackle-assist was probably the most Caicedo-ish thing to happen to Tottenham all season.
Certainly they are different profiles with different roles in different teams, and Pulis would have to conclude that the best midfield in the league would be the mouth-watering combination of Caicedo holding, Rice taking the ball upfield and Fernandes bringing some creativity. And then there’s Anderson, who can do a little of all three.