Kepa Arrizabalaga has become subject to criticism from large sections of the Chelsea fanbase for his role in the Blues' 1-0 defeat to Manchester City. The 28-year-old goalkeeper has enjoyed a promising vein of form under Graham Potter in the absence of Edouard Mendy, who is injured.
But, unfortunately for Kepa, his good fortune between the sticks came to end after Jack Grealish unleashed a daisy-cutting delivery which found Riyad Mahrez at the back-post. While the Algeria international beat Marc Cucurella in a foot race to the cross, questions have been asked of the Spaniard
Grealish's delivery zipped tantalisingly across the six-yard box and looked within reach of Kepa to intercept. However, the shot-stopper controversially opted against intervening and the cross subsequently made it's way through to Mahrez.
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Speaking to Sky Sports following Chelsea's defeat to City, Grealish admitted that both he and Mahrez thought that Kepa was going to retrieve the cross. The England international said: "Do you know what? It’s weird because I was just speaking to Riyad inside and he says to me he thought the keeper was going to get it at one point, and so was I.
"When I’ve crossed it, the first thing I’ve put my head down to cross it, and straight away I’m thinking Erling's got to be somewhere. He’s always in there isn’t he and I just said to him where were you in there?
"He says everyone went forwards so I pulled back. I felt like the keeper was going to get it at one point. I don’t know (if I expected him to), but no, I’m going to praise my cross! Honestly, when it went across the goal I’ve looked up first time and thought I’ve played that too close to him."
Jamie Carragher chipped in and offered his verdict on Mahrez's goal. The former Liverpool defender said: "Of course he’d [Kepa] be at full stretch and he’s just taken the chance of letting it go, but it’s not right.
"We’re not just saying that of bias of how it’s finished up in the back of the net, you can easily say it’s a mistake because it goes in, but for me I was not happy with Cucurella in that second half, right until when he came off. When you’re talking about the price tag, he can’t defend.
"I was watching him in the game, one versus one, and when we talk about someone who can’t defend, I think someone who doesn’t want to defend is actually worse, and it looked to me like he didn’t want to defend in one versus one situations."
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