CHELSEA boss Frank Lampard slated Kepa Arrizabalaga for a “clear mistake” that “cost” the ten-man Blues in their 2-0 home defeat against Liverpool.
But Lampard promised to “support” his £71.6million, under-fire keeper – despite admitting Kepa also erred in the 3-1 opening-day win at Brighton.
Chelsea have reportedly agreed a £22m deal for Rennes No1 Edouard Mendy.
And Lamps confirmed the Blues’ current second-choice stopper Willy Caballero will start Wednesday’s home Carabao Cup tie with Barnsley.
But he claimed it was his job to restore Kepa’s “confidence” after the Spaniard was robbed for Sadio Mane to complete a match-winning double inside four minutes.
Lampard said: “With the Kepa situation it’s a clear mistake. A clear mistake that has cost us because at that point we go on to have a penalty which we maybe score.
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“Those fine margins change games at this level. He has to have support around him, that’s very clear.
“It is clear now that there are two games where we have felt, today was a clear mistake and Brighton was a mistake too and he has reflected on it in that way.
“Players need support, particularly from myself. I give that to all the players. Kepa has to keep working, nobody tries to make mistakes in football, it is the nature of the game.
“You have to be strong, you keep going and that is where he is at.”
But Lampard – as well as Liverpool chief Jurgen Klopp – felt Andreas Christensen’s red card in first-half stoppage time transformed the contest.
Yet in contrast to Kepa’s woes, Thiago Alcantara had a superb Liverpool debut as a 45 minute-sub and Reds’ keeper Alisson saved a Jorginho penalty at 2-0.
