Caicedo returns to Chelsea starting XI after injury

Moises Caicedo returned to Chelsea's starting lineup in Saturday's 5-1 win over Bournemouth, his first appearance since a calf injury cut short his substitute outing against Brighton in late August.

The Ecuadorian midfielder wasted no time making his presence felt, recording a game-high four successful tackles and completing 96 per cent of his passes under manager Xabi Alonso.

'It feels so good to be back with the team and there is no better way to come back than with a win,' Caicedo said after the final whistle. 'It was a tough moment to be honest, I couldn't be with the team, but now finally I am back.'

Caicedo admitted the match took a physical toll after his spell on the sidelines. 'I felt a little bit tired after a long time without playing to be honest,' he added. 'I need to be careful, but I feel good.'

The win over Bournemouth was Chelsea's opening fixture of October, and a demanding run of games follows — away at Everton, then home fixtures against Tottenham, Liverpool and Manchester United. Caicedo is eager to seize the moment.

'Everybody is excited with those kind of games,' he said. 'We want to keep going forward because we want to put Chelsea where they belong.'

Chelsea sit sixth in the Premier League table with 10 points from six games heading into that stretch of fixtures.