Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has confirmed that Filip Jorgensen will remain his first-choice goalkeeper despite the 22-year-old’s costly mistake in the 2-1 loss to Aston Villa.
Jorgensen allowed Marco Asensio’s volley to creep under him in the 89th minute at Villa Park to give Villa a comeback win, with the visitors having been 1-0 up courtesy of Enzo Fernandez's strike.
During a press conference on Monday morning, before the midweek clash with Southampton, Maresca was asked if the error had changed his thinking regarding who his first-choice keeper was.
“If we need to change players every time there is a mistake, we need to change players game by game, many players. But no, nothing's changed,” insisted the Italian.”
“He is okay. He feels a little bit sad, or upset, because he recognises there has been a mistake but overall, he is okay,” added Maresca when asked how Jorgensen was doing.
Maresca has been forced to change his starting goalkeeper on several occasions throughout this season, as notable mistakes made by Robert Sanchez have directly contributed to five goals – with the latest errors coming against Manchester City at the end of last month.
But Jorgensen’s mistake contributed to a third loss in the last five Premier League matches, with the Blues having slipped from second in December to now lying seventh in the able.
When asked whether he was feeling optimistic at the moment, Maresca said that Chelsea’s overall performance improved against Brighton, while his side “didn't deserve the final result but we need to accept that”.
“We need to find something extra to get results but for sure, we are going to be there,” he explained.
“To go to Villa Park and play the first half we played is an important statement. The problem at the end was the result. The result was not good for us. It was a tough one in that moment, also because we are in a bad run of results.
“The identity was there; the way we played on and off the ball was there, very similar to what we have been doing this season.
“In this moment, it is just a matter of results. In this moment, I have the feeling that winning one, we can have a good run again and we build a good momentum again.”
