Chelsea will not challenge for the title with Robert Sanchez, claims Nigel Reo-Coker (AFP via Getty)
Nigel Reo-Coker believes Chelsea will not be Premier League title challengers under Enzo Maresca with Robert Sanchez in goal.
Chelsea suffered their second Premier League defeat of the season on Sunday as they were beaten 2-1 by Liverpool at Anfield.
Mohamed Salah opened the scoring from the penalty spot before Nicolas Jackson netted Chelsea’s equaliser shortly after half time.
But Liverpool retook the lead three minutes later through Curtis Jones, while Sanchez faced criticism for his inability to smother the midfielder’s effort from close range.
Asked if Chelsea can contend for the title with Sanchez in goal, Reo-Coker told BBC Five Live: ‘No.
‘I think sometimes he can be a liability for Chelsea, in my opinion.
‘He’s a top, top shot stopper. But I think there are too many mistakes in him and lapses in concentration at times.
Robert Sanchez has been criticised for his part in Curtis Jones’ winning goal for Liverpool (AP)
‘And one of the weaknesses in this Chelsea side is sometimes when they do try to play out from the back they leave themselves vulnerable. A well-organised team that presses well with payers who are comfortable in one-on-one situations can catch them off guard at times.
‘For me, I feel they do need to improve in the goalkeeping area still for them to really talk about winning Premier League titles.’
Reo-Coker also believes Chelsea’s midfield of Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia looked stronger without Enzo Fernandez, who was brought on as a 53rd-minute subsitute at Anfield.
‘I do think it’s hard to criticise Chelsea today, I think where you look at where they’ve been, the absolute circus of a football club that they have been, that people have had so many opinions about them because of what they’ve done, you see these performances they’re putting in now… they did play well,’ he said.
‘The one thing that’s actually puzzling to me though, I looked at the midfield partnership of Lavia and Caicedo today, I felt that’s the best Chelsea have looked in midfield, they looked strong in there.
‘It goes to the point at the start of the season, the Enzo Fernandez incident, you make him club captain, and yet he’s not playing in probably one of your biggest games of the season to date, away at Anfield against title contenders Liverpool.’
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