Moises Caicedo treading disciplinary tightrope in Chelsea’s clash with Leicester

Moises Caicedo is set to start for Chelsea against Leicester on Sunday despite being one booking away from missing upcoming games against Arsenal and Tottenham.

Head coach Enzo Maresca insisted “every game is important” on the Premier League run-in that will determine whether he ends his first season in charge by leading the team back into the Champions League after a two-year absence.

The Italian has been without the injured Romeo Lavia since December meaning he has little room for manoeuvre around the possible suspension hanging over Caicedo, and despite facing a home match against the league’s second-bottom side who are in dreadful form, circumstances have forced Maresca’s hand.

“At this moment for us, it’s about winning games,” he said. “We need to win games so we cannot plan on giving Moi a rest thinking that he can play Arsenal.

“We need to win against Leicester and then we need to focus on how we can beat Arsenal. It’s just game by game and we need our best players on the pitch.”

Chelsea face Arsenal at the Emirates on March 16 in their final game before the international break, with Spurs the visitors to Stamford Bridge on April 3.

They are currently fifth in the table, one point behind Manchester City and the final guaranteed Champions League spot, though it is likely that fifth place will be sufficient due to English clubs’ performances in Europe this season.

Nevertheless, Maresca recognised his side are in a precarious position and was not prepared to take chances.

“The position of Moises, if you see his background, last year he had 11 or 12 yellow cards, the year before the same,” he said. “It’s because he is a midfielder. You are in the traffic. Sometimes you have to make some fouls. It’s normal.

“Hopefully he can avoid that until the end, knowing that probably it’s difficult.

“The good thing is that we have also Romeo now, he’s started training with us already. He can be back. We need to be ready. Reece (James) can be a midfielder like (in Thursday’s 2-1 win over Copenhagen) so we’ll see.”

Chelsea have won just three of their last 11 games in the league, a run that stretches back to December 22 when they were second.

Maresca has previously said that winning all of their remaining home matches – all but one of which are against teams currently in the bottom half – should be enough to ensure Champions League football next season.

“The important thing is that we realise and understand that from now on every game is important, because in case you win, you can build momentum and see yourself top four, top five and Champions League spots.

“And in case you don’t win, probably you don’t see yourself in the top four, but it’s just how you manage the emotions until the end.”