'Shocked everyone': Declan Rice says what Chelsea have been 'amazing' at this season
Chelsea dropped to third in the Premier League table after Arsenal’s win over Ipswich Town last night, but they’re still exceeding everyone’s expectations this season.
In recent months, many have tipped Chelsea as potential title contenders. However, it may be time to put a pin in that after a draw to Everton and a defeat to Fulham over the festive schedule.
Liverpool have pulled further clear at the top of the league table. Meanwhile, Arsenal are up to second as their nearest challengers after a 1-0 victory against Ipswich on Friday night.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 1 |  LiverpoolLiverpool |
17 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 40 | 17 | 23 | 42 |
| 2 |  ArsenalArsenal |
18 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 35 | 16 | 19 | 36 |
| 3 |  ChelseaChelsea |
18 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 38 | 21 | 17 | 35 |
| 4 |  Nottm ForestNottingham Forest |
18 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 24 | 19 | 5 | 34 |
Alan Shearer is backing Chelsea for a top-four finish after seeing them lose to Fulham on Boxing Day.
Up next, Enzo Maresca’s side travel to 19th-placed Ipswich Town for their final game of 2024.
Declan Rice gives verdict on Chelsea
Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice, 25, delivered huge praise on rivals Chelsea during an interview yesterday.
Rice told Amazon Prime Video Sport: “I think Chelsea have been outstanding, they’ve shocked everyone. Everyone wrote them off at the start of the season and didn’t think they could do it (challenge for the title), they’ve been amazing the way they’re playing.”
Conor Gallagher isn’t surprised by Chelsea’s success this season, pointing towards the team’s strong end to last season. However, it’s been so impressive the way that Maresca has picked up the reigns as the Blues manager in the summer and helped them kick on another level.
Declan Rice vs Moises Caicedo
Without doubt, the defensive midfield position has become increasingly more important in the modern game. It’s why Rice and Moises Caicedo are hugely influential for their respective clubs.
Here is a look at how the Arsenal and Chelsea midfielders compare to each other so far this season:
| Player | Appearances | Goals | Assists | Passes completed | Tackles won | Interceptions | Fouls committed |
| Declan Rice | 15 | 1 | 3 | 610 | 11 | 10 | 12 |
| Moises Caicedo | 18 | 1 | 2 | 943 | 34 | 29 | 37 |
Like Rice, 23-year-old Chelsea star Caicedo contributes so much in and out of possession. Based on this season so far, the Chelsea star has the edge over his Arsenal counterpart in terms of level of performance.
Chelsea have always thought Caicedo is better than Rice. There’s very little to split them when both are at the peak of their powers, and we suspect both will be influential during the second half of the season.
from Latest Chelsea News and Updates - The Chelsea Chronicle https://ift.tt/S9wDGQ4
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