Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca
Image credit: Getty Images
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has confirmed that goalkeeper Robert Sanchez will be in the starting lineup for the Blues’ crucial Premier League clash against Arsenal on Sunday.
Sanchez had been dropped following an error that led to Erling Haaland’s goal in Chelsea’s 3-1 defeat to Manchester City in January, with backup goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen taking charge for four consecutive league games. However, the Spanish shot-stopper was reinstated last week for Chelsea’s 1-0 victory over Leicester City after Jorgensen struggled to impress.
“It will be Robert playing against Arsenal,” Maresca told reporters on Friday. “Since we started, the idea was not to change keepers, but sometimes you have to modify and be flexible with your ideas. We do this in the game plan, in the way we attack and defend, but also with players. I think Robert needed some days off, or at least some mental rest. Now he’s back, and hopefully, we won’t have to change again until the end of the season. We are quite happy with both keepers.”
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Chelsea currently sit fourth in the Premier League with 49 points from 28 matches, trailing second-placed Arsenal by six points. When asked about the possibility of closing the gap on Mikel Arteta’s side, Maresca remained cautious.
Robert Sanchez
Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez (Image credit: Getty Images)
“They can also be nine points ahead. At the moment, they are six,” he said. “We are not focused on that. We are just focused on how we can execute our game plan and try to beat them. If we win, then we’ll be closer, and second place could be a target. But right now, our focus is only on Sunday’s game.”
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Both sides head into the fixture without a recognised striker. Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson is sidelined due to injury, while Arsenal have turned to midfielder Mikel Merino to lead their attack in recent weeks. Maresca hinted that winger Pedro Neto could play as a makeshift forward for Chelsea.
“It’s quite unusual for both teams to be in this situation, but we are all trying to find solutions,” he said. “Pedro has done very well in that role since we started. We’ll decide whether we use him there on Sunday or change things up. Every club faces injury challenges during the season, and we have to be adaptable.”
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