Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has confirmed that Robert Sanchez will start between the sticks against Arsenal this weekend.
Filip Jorgensen was in goal against Copenhagen on Thursday night, keeping a clean sheet as the Blues won 1-0 at Stamford Bridge to win 3-1 on aggregate and progress to the last-eight of the Conference League.
Meanwhile Sanchez started the game prior – the Premier League victory over Leicester – and also kept a clean sheet in the 1-0 victory against the Foxes, as the London club moved back into the top four.
Asked ahead of Sunday’s trip to the Emirates whether he had decided who to start against the Gunners, Maresca confirmed Sanchez will return in goal.
“Yes, it will be Robert playing against Arsenal,” said Maresca in his presser on Chelsea’s website.
“I’ve said many times we are happy with both goalkeepers. But sometimes, you have to be flexible.
“Since we started, the idea wasn’t to change the goalkeeper but you have to be flexible; we do this with the game plan, the way we want to attack and defend, but we also have to be flexible with players [changing the personnel].”
The Blues head to north London six points behind Arsenal, who sit two places above them in second in the Premier League table.
Victory at the Emirates would see Maresca’s men halve that deficit to just three points.
On whether Chelsea could climb above Arsenal and finish ahead of them at the end of the season, the Italian didn’t rule that out but insisted his focus is purely on the next game, with the overall target remaining to finish in the top four and to win the Conference League.
“In this moment we have two targets: finish top four or five for the Champions League and the other is [winning] the Conference League,” Maresca added.
“This club is used to playing in finals and fighting for titles, so if we can give the fans and club this chance again then I think it’s important for us.”
