Merson slams Kepa after Chelsea defeat to Liverpool

Former Arsenal star Paul Merson has slammed Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga after the Blues suffered a defeat to Liverpool in the Carabao League final on Sunday.

The former Arsenal star added that the West London club could have won the Carabao Cup final if Kepa had not replaced Edouard Mendy for the penalty shootout.

After Chelsea were held to a 0-0 draw against Liverpool, the Blues manager Thomas Tuchel towards the end of extra-time decided to replace Mendy as penalties loomed.

Kepa, who held a high reputation as a penalty specialist in the past, failed to prove his worth as he did not save any of Liverpool’s 11 penalties.

“That was the best game I have seen Mendy have for Chelsea – he was outstanding – so why would you change your goalie? He is playing the game of his life, red hot, can’t beat him, and you go and change it?

“It is easy to say after the game but, when it gets to penalties, there is only one person that is not under pressure and that’s the goalie. The goalie has nothing to lose and everything to gain. The players are the ones who have got everything on their shoulders.

“As soon as he [Kepa] comes on it swaps completely round the other way. All the pressure’s on him and nobody else, and that was the problem. It happened three years ago when he refused to come off – all the pressure was on him that day and it was on him again.

“I just couldn’t work it out. Chelsea would be Carabao Cup winners if Mendy was in goal. I can’t remember him [Kepa] getting near a penalty. [Mohamed] Salah goes to the left all the time and he [Kepa] went the other way. The Van Dijk one – he was standing on that side of the goal and he still never got near it. Have a rough idea of what you are coming up against. Do your homework,” Merson told Sky Sports.