LONDON — Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca believes his in-form midfield trio can be the decisive factor when the Blues face Newcastle in a pivotal Premier League clash on Sunday.
Maresca praised the recent performances of Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo, and Romeo Lavia — a unit that finally appears to be finding rhythm and consistency. Their dominance was on full display in last weekend’s 3-1 victory over champions Liverpool, a match that also saw Chelsea name an unchanged starting XI for the first time in six months.
“It’s important when you can continue with the same players,” said Maresca. “We have Romeo back fit, Moises is doing well, Enzo and Cole [Palmer] are doing well.”
Caicedo, named Chelsea’s Player of the Season, has flourished in recent weeks, while Lavia has offered fresh energy after a long injury layoff. Their resurgence has provided a platform for Palmer to rediscover his attacking spark, breaking his goal drought against Liverpool.
Maresca expects the midfield to play a central role again at St James’ Park, with Newcastle’s own midfield talents — including Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali — offering a stern test.
“Newcastle also have Bruno, Tonali, Murphy, Willock. They have different kinds of players. I expect a huge game,” Maresca added.
Chelsea and Newcastle are level on points heading into the encounter, with goal difference the only separator. Both teams remain locked in the chase for Champions League qualification, with Sunday’s result likely to shape the final weeks of their campaigns.
Chelsea still face a testing run-in, with matches against Manchester United and Nottingham Forest to come, along with the UEFA Conference League final against Real Betis.
Asked whether Newcastle’s attacking approach could favour Chelsea, Maresca responded, “I hope so. We’ve played games against teams who play a low block, and teams that try to be aggressive, and we’ve made good games in both situations.”
