There is a strong argument that Chelsea find it easier to get by without Cole Palmer’s creativity than without Caicedo’s ability to possess possession and his knack for breaking up play in midfield.
In his 150th appearance for the club, Caicedo lasted 72 minutes.
His withdrawal for Romeo Lavia was expected, but the Ecuador international still made a significant impact.
Alonso deployed him in a deep role, dropping into the middle of the back three when Chelsea were in possession and allowing young defender Josh Acheampong to advance.
He only misplaced two passes and recorded the highest success rate of any Chelsea starter. He also made and won more tackles than any other Chelsea player on Saturday afternoon.
With Caicedo in their team, Chelsea have won 48.1% of their Premier League matches. Without it, this figure drops to 25%.
Alonso said: “You always want to have Moises on the pitch. With him we have a better midfield and when you are better in the middle you have a more complete team.
“I think it’s something to build on. With the players we have up front, they are also solid in defense. So I’m happy that Moises is feeling better because he’s going to be a key player for us. We knew that.”
Alternative options in Chelsea’s midfield include captain Reece James, capable of playing in defence, as well as substitutes Romeo Lavia and Valentin Barco, who did not make the matchday squad.
It will most likely be James who will attempt to reclaim his place at Henderson upon his return, but the diagnosis of his knee problems remains uncertain.
Chelsea remain a work in progress and conceded again thanks to poor defending of Evanilson’s goal.
However, if Henderson and Caicedo can help eliminate defensive errors, Chelsea can start to turn things around, with Pedro, Rogers and Palmer already helping to make them the Premier League’s top scorers.
Alonso said: “I think they help each other well and they give presence, they give stability.
“You know they are the ones who are going to help others, not just for their qualities, because they understand the game. They can play in shorter spaces but also defensively, they give a good balance.”
Former England striker Alan Shearer told BBC Sport: “Caicedo is the difference. There’s no doubt about that. He gives Chelsea a bit more solidity and keeps the ball out of the back four.
“Him and Henderson worked really well, the first goal being a good example. It definitely makes them stronger, I was really impressed.”
Gn sports
