Kepa remains vital to Chelsea as AFCON subplot demands back-up goalkeeper finds form

Dan Kilpatrick @Dan_KP26 October 2021

Thomas Tuchel is wary of the need to strike a balance between maintaining Chelsea's momentum and resting key players when he rotates his squad for Tuesday night’s Carabao Cup tie, but one fringe player certain to start is Kepa Arrizabalaga.

This Carabao Cup is the preserve of the back-up goalkeeper, with almost every Premier League club using the competition to rotate between the sticks.

Chelsea, though, have more reason than most to give their No2 minutes against Southampton at Stamford Bridge - because they are going to need Kepa this season. Their titles hopes may even hinge on the Spaniard.

Edouard Mendy has been one of the stars of the season, saving Chelsea from dropping points with an heroic display against Brentford, but the Senegalese goalkeeper is set to be among around 40 Premier League players to leave for the African Cup of Nations at the turn of the year.

They are expected to be released by their clubs after the Boxing Day fixtures and some may not return until the second week of February, potentially ruling them out for eight matches – six in the Premier League and two FA Cup ties.

For Chelsea, the loss of Mendy will be a significant blow and coincides with a potentially crucial run of fixtures. They face Liverpool and Manchester City back-to-back at the start of the year followed by a visit from rivals Tottenham.

Even a Liverpool side without Egypt's Mohamed Salah and Senegal's Sadio Mane, and a City team missing Algerian Riyad Mahrez, are likely to keep Kepa busy, and the double-header already has the makings of a potentially decisive spell for Tuchel's side.

The manager has made a point of keeping Kepa involved, starting him against Brighton and Arsenal in last season's run-in and bringing him off the bench in the Super Cup, where he was the hero of the win over Villarreal on penalties after saving two spot-kicks in the shootout.

This season, with Chelsea locked in a title race and a tight Champions League group, the German is unlikely to be so accommodating when Mendy is available but the domestic cup competitions offer a chance to keep Kepa sharp and feeling involved in the squad, starting against Saints tonight.

The contest – a rematch of Chelsea's 3-1 win at the start of the month – and a potential Carabao Cup quarter-final in late December could be Kepa's only minutes before he steps into the side in January, increasing their importance for the 27-year-old and Tuchel.

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AFP via Getty Images

Another player who could return to the side against the Saints is Andreas Christensen, who scored his first Chelsea goal in the 4-0 Champions League win over Malmo last week, but was not involved in the 7-0 thrashing of Norwich.

Tuchel has said he is delighted with the Dane's progress, although talks over a new contract for the 25-year-old have reached an impasse, with no discussions between player and club since August.

“He is very strong, very reliable and he has not reached his limits because in his age there is still room to improve," Tuchel said of Christensen. "He can be a top defender for us in the next years and hopefully he will be because he comes from the academy."

The head coach has also hinted that tonight's game could provide an opportunity for Saul Niguez to kickstart his Chelsea career after making just three appearances since joining from Atletico Madrid in the summer.

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