Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has risked angering sections of the club’s fanbase after leaping to Robert Sanchez‘s defence following the 3-1 win over Wolves.
The Spanish goalkeeper made his fourth mistake that has directly led to a Premier League goal this season. Only one player – Ipswich’s Arijanet Muric – has made more errors, with five.
Sanchez dropped a corner-kick for Matt Doherty to make it 1-1 before half-time before the Blues dominated the second half and scored twice more through Marc Cucurella and Noni Madueke.
Asked about Sanchez’s latest slip-up, Maresca responded to the Sky Sports interviewer: “You said fourth mistake leading to a goal? OK and how many times has he saved us? I think more than four. So it happens, no problem.
“Mistakes happen to him, to the strikers, central defenders… No problem, Robert is doing well.”
He added to the BBC: “[Media attention] is part of our job when you make some mistakes. Robert has saved us many times, it happens, no problem.
“If I’m not wrong only four or five teams in the league have conceded less than us. So why [ask about] a defensive problem? I think the balance is quite good between offensive and defensive. Then you can concede a goal in any way.”
Chelsea fans have made their frustrations known on social media and also in the stands following Sanchez’s mistakes. The Stamford Bridge crowd sarcastically cheered after he caught one ball early in the second half.
Many feel Filip Jorgensen should get an opportunity over Sanchez. The Dane, 22, has kept more clean sheets than his more experienced team-mate in less appearances this season.
But it appears Maresca is keeping the faith in former Brighton shot-stopper Sanchez in spite of his inconsistencies.
As is Tosin Adarabioyo, who said: “I would never say that he [Robert Sanchez] should be in the spotlight for conceding a goal. Things happen and we learn and move on.”
The Italian coach added of a win that takes Chelsea back into the Champions League places: “The first 40 minutes we were top. The performance was very good, completely dominate the game, score, chances.
“Then the last five minutes happen – what is happening many times in the last four or five games. We lost a little bit of confidence, concede the goal and struggle a little a bit.
“Second half, we start quite well and after the second and third goal the game was in control.”
Maresca, 44, reserved special praise for three players: “They did fantastic, Tosin and Trev (Chalobah). But I think all of them – also Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall who was a long time without a game – overall I think the performance was good.
“We are happy we won the game. Then from tomorrow we will start to think about Man City, which for sure will be a tough game. In the last five games, we created many chances and didn’t score. Tonight we scored three.”
Chelsea take on reigning Premier League champions City at the Etihad on Saturday with the Blues one of four teams – as well as Liverpool, Fulham and Ipswich – to get the better of his side this season.
City won 2-0 at Stamford Bridge on the opening weekend of the season courtesy of goals from Erling Haaland and Mateo Kovacic.
