Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga is reportedly confident that he will be back in the starting line-up for his side’s clash with Man Utd on Monday night.
The 25-year-old dropped to the bench last time out as Willy Caballero was given the nod against Leicester City on February 1.
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That made it two straight starts for the veteran shot-stopper after he also featured in the FA Cup clash with Hull City, and so there may have been a few concerns for Kepa over the possibility of losing his starting role.
However, according to The Sun, it’s claimed that the Spanish international held talks with boss Frank Lampard and he believes that he will be back in the starting XI against Man Utd.
Further, it’s suggested that Kepa is committed to putting his poor form behind him and cementing his place in the side again, while the decision to drop him could be the ‘wake up call’ that he needed in order to keep him on his toes at Stamford Bridge.
Time will tell if his form does now improve, as it could ultimately be decisive in terms of whether or not he regains Lampard’s trust and establishes himself as his first choice once again, or if the Chelsea boss decides that he may well have to bring his own preferred option in during the summer.
In the more immediate future though, Kepa could be vital on Monday in a crunch clash with Man Utd, as Chelsea look to continue to hold on to fourth place in the Premier League table in the battle for Champions League qualification.
The gap has been cut to just two points by nearest rivals Sheffield United, while a win for United would move them to within three points of Chelsea.
In turn, it’s a crucial encounter, and Kepa will be hoping to feature and make a positive impact to show just important he is moving forward.