Jamie Carragher believes that if Chelsea want to challenge for the Premier League title, they need to make some tough decisions—starting with replacing one particular player.
After a 2-1 loss to league leaders Liverpool at Anfield, Carragher pointed out that while Chelsea had some bright moments, their goalkeeper, Robert Sanchez, let them down.
Despite the defeat, there have been encouraging signs under new manager Enzo Maresca. Chelsea sit sixth in the league and had gone seven matches unbeaten before their visit to Anfield. They’ve scored plenty of goals—only Manchester City and Tottenham have more—so attacking isn’t the issue. However, Carragher has concerns about their defense, specifically Sanchez’s performances in goal.
“Chelsea had better control of the game, but the problem was the goalkeeper,” Carragher said on Sky Sports. “If they want to get back to where they aim to be, they need a new goalkeeper.”
Sanchez struggled throughout the match, looking uneasy with the ball and nearly giving away a penalty after colliding with Curtis Jones. According to Carragher, he also could have done more to stop Jones’ winning goal. While Mohamed Salah’s opening penalty wasn’t Sanchez’s fault, Chelsea were gaining momentum after Nicolas Jackson’s equalizer, only to concede again when Jones scrambled the ball into the net.
“What bothers me is that he turns his face away when he goes for the ball, almost as if he’s scared of getting hit,” Carragher remarked. “You look at someone like Peter Schmeichel—he’d come out and make himself as big as possible. When Sanchez came out to challenge Curtis Jones, Jones should have been intimidated by a 6ft 4 goalkeeper coming at him. But instead, Sanchez seemed scared of both the ball and the player, turning his head away.”
Carragher added, “Chelsea have spent a lot of money, but if they want to reach the top again, they need a better goalkeeper.”
Sanchez has been Chelsea’s first-choice keeper this season, even saving a penalty against Bournemouth. However, he hasn’t quite matched the level of goalkeepers like Ederson, Alisson, or David Raya since his £25 million move from Brighton on a seven-year deal in August 2023. Injuries kept him sidelined for the latter half of last season, and during his absence, some fans felt that his stand-in, Djordje Petrovic, performed better. The fact that Chelsea have conceded 10 goals while Liverpool have only allowed three suggests there’s room for improvement at the back.
Up next, Chelsea will face Panathinaikos in the Europa Conference League on Thursday, followed by a home match against Newcastle on Sunday.