Former Chelsea striker Chris Sutton has said that Kepa Arrizabalaga should be sacked after the incredible standoff between the goalkeeper and manager Maurizio Sarri in today’s Carabao Cup final.
With this afternoon’s Wembley finale heading towards penalties after 120 goalless minutes, viewers witnessed one of the most incredible footballing standoffs in living memory.
With just minutes to play in extra time, £71 million goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga went down in the area, seemingly suffering from cramp for the second time, having gone into the game with doubts over his hamstring.
Maurizio Sarri decided to replace the Chelsea number one with substitute ‘keeper Willy Caballero, who is somewhat of penalty specialist, but the Spanish youngster point-blank refused to come off, despite the fourth official holding his number aloft.
Kepa would remain on the field for the penalty shoot-out, although he could have done better with at least one of Man City‘s spot kicks, and speaking after the game, Chris Sutton said that the goalkeeper should be sacked.
“Kepa should never play for Chelsea again. That should be his last performance in a Chelsea shirt. He’s a disgrace. I’ve never seen anything like it,” Sutton told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“If I was Sarri I would walk. You cannot be undermined. Why weren’t the players dragging Kepa off anyway?
“Kepa should be sacked, not Sarri.”
“I still cannot believe what I have just seen. How can Kepa play for Chelsea again? How can he play for Sarri again? Something has to give. He has to go.
”I feel for Sarri today, he was under pressure anyway. How’s he going to get through this?”