SAD DAY FOR BLUES
MANE PROFITS FROM KEPA’S ERROR AS TEN-MAN CHELSEA LOSE AT HOME TO CHAMPIONS
CHELSEA paid a heavy price for a blundering performance against Liverpool yesterday, after which Frank Lampard said he will fight to boost Kepa Arrizabalaga’s brittle confidence following the keeper’s latest mistake.
Sadio Mane blocked Kepa’s laboured clearance and the Senegalese tapped home his second goal as ten-man Chelsea, for whom Jorginho saw his second-half penalty saved by Alisson, succumbed 2-0 to Jurgen Klopp’s defending Premier League champions at Stamford Bridge.
Andreas Christensen’s red card handed Liverpool an advantage they fully exploited but Blues boss Lampard conceded Kepa was at fault for the second goal, and is in desperate need of a confidence boost.
Lampard revealed veteran Willy Caballero will start Wednesday’s
Carabao Cup clash with Barnsley at Stamford Bridge, but insisted that was always the plan, even before Kepa’s latest costly error.
‘It’s a clear mistake that has cost us,’ said Lampard, who should soon have another option in goal with Rennes keeper Edouard Mendy close to completing a £20million move.
‘Kepa has to keep working and he has to have support around him, that’s very clear. But it was a clear mistake on the day. And now we’ve got to try to give him confidence, because that’s important.’
Liverpool new boy Thiago Alcantara impressed off the bench after replacing Jordan Henderson, who suffered a knock to his thigh, at half-time. ‘Even without training, and albeit against ten men, Thiago set the perfect play in that position,’ said Reds boss Klopp. ‘Everything he did was perfectly natural. Alisson saved a penalty, Thiago made his debut – and if Hendo has absolutely nothing to his injury, it’s a perfect day.’