Enzo Maresca may have to ask Chelsea bosses for the unthinkable after Newcastle issue

Chelsea may have beaten Newcastle with a battling 2-1 victory on Sunday, but the groans at Stamford Bridge were too loud to ignore. While Robert Sanchez couldn’t do much to stop Alexander Isak’s equaliser, the supporters started to turn on their goalkeeper as he consistently gave possession away.

It’s not a new concern either. The 26-year-old has been guilty of conceding goals from direct errors when playing out from the back on several occasions – chiefly when his clearance landed at the feet of Declan Rice and the Arsenal star scored from 30 yards out.

Then, in the 4-2 win over Brighton earlier this season, he passed straight to Seagulls starlet Carlos Baleba and he made no mistake in finding the net.

Conceding goals doesn’t seem to be an issue for Maresca and Sanchez has made some important saves this season. But the philosophy of playing out from the back is essential to his blueprint and, if the goalkeeper is incapable of distributing the ball, he will be replaced.

To his credit, Maresca jumped to the under-fire goalkeeper’s defence by claiming he “also did many good [things]” when asked asked about the fans’ frustration.

“In the end, that is football. I am the guy who asks Robert to do that. And Robert is going to do that – in the moment he stops to do that, he is not going to play,” he said.

“If Robert makes a mistake, it is not Robert’s problem, it’s my mistake because I asked that from Robert. I am very happy with Robert and the way he is playing, building from the back.”

The current issue the Italian faces is that he doesn’t hold much confidence in £20million summer signing Filip Jorgensen, despite performing admirably in the UEFA Conference League. The Dane, 22, is yet to feature in the Premier League and Maresca’s support for Sanchez indicates he will continue to sit on the bench.

So, if not Sanchez or Jorgensen, who will play in goal? The solution Chelsea often reach for is to simply buy another shot-stopper, having signed no fewer than five goalkeepers since Todd Boehly’s takeover in May 2022.

In addition to Sanchez and Jorgensen, Gabriel Slonina and Djordje Petrovic are both still under contract at Stamford Bridge, although all they have been loaned out this season.

Belgian wonderkid Mike Penders is joining from KRC Genk for £17m in 2025. And that’s before even including reserve goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli, emergency backup Lucas Bergstrom and the out-of-favour Kepa Arrizabalaga.

The Blues decided to loan Arrizabalaga to Bournemouth this season and sold on Edouard Mendy, despite the fact he was named UEFA Goalkeeper of the Year in 2020-21, yet Mendy only lasted three years at the club and was offloaded as soon as they received a decent offer from Saudi Arabian club Al-Ahli.

There seems to be an obsession with Pep Guardiola’s disciples – namely Maresca and Mikel Arteta – in ditching goalkeepers when they don’t perform. Guardiola got rid of Joe Hart immediately and signed Claudio Bravo, before upgrading to Ederson. Arteta flogged Bernd Leno, signed and sold Aaron Ramsdale and is now content with David Raya.

It’s up to Maresca to decide if he’s brave enough to keep Sanchez or do the unthinkable and sign another goalkeeper. It might be considered unfathomable given the depth they have in that position.

But Chelsea may be forced to act one way or another – before one of their rivals identify their glaring weakness at the back.