Frank Lampard concedes Kepa Arrizabalaga made a ‘clear mistake’ in Chelsea’s defeat against Liverpool and has revealed that Caballero will be in goal for the Carabao Cup game against Barnley next week.
Kepa is now under more pressure after his mistake in the second half allowed Sadio Mane to double Liverpool’s lead on Sunday evening.
The Spain international also made a mistake which led to a goal during Chelsea’s first Premier League game of the season against Brighton.
‘With the Kepa situation it’s a clear mistake, it’s cost us because at that point we go on to have a penalty which we maybe scored,’ Lampard said after Chelsea’s defeat to Liverpool.
‘These fine margins change games at this level. We have to keep working, Kepa has to keep working, he has to have support around him that’s very clear. ‘But it was a clear mistake on the day.’
Frank Lampard is also adamant that the decision to drop Kepa Arrizabalaga for Chelsea’s Carabao Cup game against Barnsley on Wednesday was decided even before the loss to Klopp’s side.
‘I can say now that Willy Caballero will play and that was always my feeling to play him on Wednesday, regardless of today,’ said Lampard.
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‘So I don’t want people to make judgements on that game itself. ‘He’s our player, and it’s clear there’s two games now where we feel today was a clear mistake, I think Brighton was a mistake as well and he’s on that in that way.
‘So we have to keep working. It’s the rules of football. ‘Difficult times individually players need suport, particularly from myself, I give that to all the players.
‘Kepa has to keep working. Nobody tries to make mistakes in football, it’s the nature of the game, you have to be strong and keep going.’
In another post-match interview with Sky Sports, Lampard said: ‘[We need] to try and give him confidence because a goalkeeper relies on confidence. It’s a clear mistake, Kepa has accepted that, as he should do, hold his hand up and we have to be a group and accept that.
‘It’s a joint responsibility, these things do happen but obviously it’s a clear mistake.’