Gary Neville has expressed sympathy for Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez but insists manager Enzo Maresca should have benched him earlier in the season.
Sanchez began the campaign as Chelsea’s first-choice goalkeeper, seeing off competition from Djordje Petrovic.
However, his performances have been shaky, with costly mistakes putting Chelsea’s top-four hopes in jeopardy. Following a poor showing in a 3-1 defeat to Manchester City, Maresca finally dropped Sanchez, opting for summer signing Filip Jorgensen.
Jorgensen has since taken over, starting against West Ham and continuing in goal as Chelsea face Brighton.
Neville, speaking on Sky Sports, noted that while it’s too soon to judge Jorgensen, Chelsea’s goalkeeping situation remains delicate.
He argued that Maresca should have removed Sanchez earlier to prevent his confidence from deteriorating.
Now, Neville believes rebuilding that confidence will be difficult, as goalkeepers face immense scrutiny after mistakes.
The former Manchester United defender also warned that if Jorgensen struggles, Chelsea could find themselves in an even worse predicament.
Maresca has confirmed that Jorgensen is now his first-choice goalkeeper, stating that Sanchez needs time to recover both mentally and physically.