Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has told Robert Sanchez to "relax and carry on" after the goalkeeper's error-strewn display in the 3-2 win over Fulham. The Blues opened their Premier League campaign with victory at Craven Cottage on Monday night, with Cole Palmer, Joao Pedro and Morgan Rogers on the scoresheet.
Sanchez was beaten at his near post by Josh King's low effort and was also at fault for Fulham's second goal, pushing out a shot for Gonzalo Garcia to head in the rebound. The Spanish goalkeeper's erratic performances are nothing new, with mistakes a feature of his three-year Chelsea career.
Alonso backs his goalkeeper
Despite the errors, Alonso refused to criticise Sanchez when speaking to reporters after the match. "It's about the team, it's not about the individual," Alonso said. "The first goal, we can do better to defend, we can do better to avoid, but it's part of the game. We need to accept and to learn. This is going to be a process."
"All the lines, from the strikers, the midfielders, the defence, the goalkeepers, we want to do better in everything. The goal was to start good, and we've been able to start well. Relax and carry on."
Sanchez's Chelsea career
Sanchez has been Chelsea's number one goalkeeper since joining for £20million from Brighton three years ago. He has made 112 appearances, keeping his place in the side in spite of Chelsea's busy nature in the transfer market.
Mike Penders, a 21-year-old goalkeeper who has never made an appearance for Chelsea, was on the bench against Fulham. The Belgian joined last summer from Genk and spent last season on loan at sister club Strasbourg. Filip Jorgensen, who was the back-up last season, has been sent to Strasbourg on loan for the 2026/27 season.
Pundits call for new keeper
Both Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville have urged Chelsea to sign a new goalkeeper before the transfer window closes on September 1 to replace Sanchez.
"I do think [there are] concerns defensively," Carragher said on Sky Sports after the Fulham game. "They conceded a couple of goals and you look at the goalkeeper. They have to sort the goalkeeper issue out because it's going to come back to haunt them this season, as it did tonight."
Neville added: "I don't know if Emi Martinez is available or not but someone like that needs to come in at Chelsea, because that will undermine everything they do. The positives for Fulham came from the encouragement Sanchez gave them with the goals. The goals were both mistakes. It's a problem."
