Chelsea: Lampard praises Kepa after win against Liverpool
Chelsea boss Frank Lampard will recall goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga to his Premier League team to face Everton this weekend, reckons former West Ham stopper Shaka Hislop. Kepa was dropped by Lampard for the trip to Leicester on February 1 after previously playing every league minute of the season. Willy Caballero has since played the four league matches as well as the Champions League last-16 first leg loss to Bayern Munich at Stamford Bridge last month.
But Kepa came into the Chelsea team for the FA Cup fifth-round tie against Liverpool on Tuesday, in which the Blues won 2-0.
The Spaniard made a number of saves in the first half to keep Liverpool at bay and Hislop believes the 25-year-old has earned his spot back between the posts for Sunday’s league match against Everton at Stamford Bridge.
“I think so [Kepa has won his spot back],” Hislop said on ESPN FC.
“I think he’s done more than enough to say that he should be Chelsea’s No 1.
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Former Chelsea midfielder Craig Burley says the Liverpool clash was an ideal chance for Lampard to ease Kepa back into the fold.
Burley said: “I think it was an ideal opportunity to get him back in the team, to keep a clean sheet, to be able to say ‘Right, okay, I’ve made my point, let’s get back to winning games in the Premier League and fend off these guys that are charging down to try and get the European spots’.
“It’s as simple as that.”
Goals from Willian and Ross Barkley sent Chelsea through to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.
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Chelsea news: Kepa Arrizabalaga impressed on his comeback game against Liverpool (Image: GETTY)