Chelsea boss Frank Lampard says a lot of the “spotlight” on under-fire goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga is unfair.
The 25-year-old Spaniard has not featured in Chelsea’s past two games after making an error in the 2-0 defeat by Liverpool last week.
Willy Caballero has started instead, and the Blues have also completed the signing of Edouard Mendy from Rennes.
“I certainly won’t go to the point of saying Kepa has played his last game for Chelsea,” said Lampard.
“We have to also understand Kepa is a young man. A lot of the spotlight on him has become unfair. I have to protect him because I know he’s a good lad trying to do his best.”
Meanwhile, Lampard holds Ruben Loftus-Cheek “in high regard” but says the 24-year-old midfielder may have to go on loan given the competition for places at the club.
An Achilles injury limited Loftus-Cheek to just nine appearances in all competitions last season. He was handed a rare start in Chelsea’s season-opening win against Brighton & Hove Albion but was singled out for criticism by television pundits, who said he lacked pace and lost possession too often.
Aston Villa and West Ham United have been linked with a move for Loftus-Cheek and Lampard said it was important for the Englishman to get regular game time.
“I am very open with Ruben. We have had a couple of conversations in the last week. He is fit as a fiddle so he could play week in, week out, but he needs to play,” Lampard said.
“He has done a lot of work and would have been playing a lot of games earlier if it wasn’t for lockdown. There is a possibility Ruben might go out to play games because I think that would be great for him.”
“We hold him in high regard. He wants to play and the reality is I have a lot of competition in those areas.”