Moises Caicedo will miss Chelsea’s next three Premier League matches after his red card against Arsenal on Sunday.Â
Enzo Maresca’s options were limited after Caicedo was dismissed in the first half.
He had to hook teen sensation Estevao at half-time and leave Cole Palmer on the bench.
Palmer passed fit for Arsenal, but was unable to match his tally of two goals in three games against the Gunners through no fault of his own.
Chelsea could not trouble the Gunners as much with their attack. However, their defenders dug deep to hold the Premier League leaders to a 1-1 draw.
Caicedo To Miss Three Chelsea Games After Arsenal Red
In the 34th minute, Moises Caicedo caught Arsenal goalscorer Mikel Merino with a heavy tackle.
Referee Anthony Taylor originally showed him a yellow card, but following VAR’s intervention, he changed his decision, brandishing a straight red.
Replays showed that Caicedo, with his leg outstretched and studs raised, clattered with Merino’s ankle. The official explained to the crowd that Caicedo’s dismissal was due to serious foul play.
While denying a clear goalscoring opportunity and a double-yellow dismissal incurs a one-game ban, the punishment for serious foul play is a three-game suspension.
Following his red card in the 1-1 draw with Arsenal, Caicedo will miss three Premier League matches for Chelsea.
- Leeds United away on December 3
- Bournemouth away on December 6
- Everton at home on December 13
However, he will be eligible for Chelsea’s Champions League meeting with Atalanta in Bergamo on 09 December.
Caicedo could make his return to domestic competitions in the EFL Cup clash with Cardiff City on 16 December.
Maresca Questions Referee’s Consistency After Caicedo Red
After the game, Enzo Maresca admitted that Moises Caicedo was deserving of the red card.
However, he felt Arsenal centre-back Piero Hincapie should have also been sent off for his foul on Chelsea scorer Trevoh Chalobah.
Maresca also referred to Rodrigo Bentancur’s challenge on Reece James in Chelsea’s 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur to show the inconsistency in refereeing.
The Chelsea manager said (via ESPN):
“They ask me about Moi’s [Caicedo] red card. It is a red card. But why Bentancur on Reece is not a red card [against] Spurs away?
Trevoh Chalobah appeared to have gotten a bruise after Piero Hincapié made contact with his face using his elbow. Hincapié was only given a yellow card for the play 👀
This came just minutes after Caicedo’s red card 😅 pic.twitter.com/VEBBsppfxc
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) November 30, 2025
“So us, as managers, we struggle to understand why they judge in different ways. Moi it is a red card, yes. Bentancur is a red card, yes. Why they not give them red card? It is just that we struggle to understand.”
He concluded by adding:
“The reality is that is a red card. But why they judge in different ways? And the Trevoh one, I ask the referee. He said to me it was not an elbow. He has a black eye; he was with ice at half-time, but they judge in different ways.”
Chelsea and Arsenal have retained their positions in third and first places, but have lost some ground.
Manchester City have moved within five points of the Gunners after beating Leeds United, while Aston Villa are now level with Chelsea on 24 points following their victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers.
