Liam Rosenior sends Robert Sanchez clear message as Chelsea keeper dropped

After he struggled in Chelsea’s 2-1 away defeat against Arsenal, Robert Sanchez found himself on the bench for the Blues’ away match against Aston Villa in the Premier League

Liam Rosenior has warned Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez there is no No. 1 goalkeeper in his eyes. The Blues manager chose to deploy Filip Jorgensen for the Blues’ crucial away clash against Aston Villa.

Rosenior, 41, is the third Blues boss to drop Sanchez for a Premier League match after Mauricio Pochettino and Enzo Maresca did so in similar fashion. Sanchez has enjoyed one of his best seasons at Stamford Bridge, but he struggled under the pressure of Arsenal’s set-pieces in the west Londoners 2-1 away defeat to the Gunners.

The ex-Brighton and Hove Albion goalkeeper misjudged an attempt to claim a corner in north London, which resulted in Jurrien Timber heading in from close range. A matter of days after the Spaniard’s mistake, he found himself on the bench at Villa Park.

READ MORE: Nine stars who could replace Harry Maguire at World Cup including Chelsea ace and 6ft 7′ giantREAD MORE: Filipe Luis sacked after club ‘discovered secret Chelsea ownership talks’

Speaking to TNT Sports before the match, the Chelsea manager explained: “He’s (Jorgensen) played very good in training. The way I work with goalkeepers, I don’t have an outright number one.

“I want competition in every area. He’s been waiting very patiently for his chance. Now I’ve given it to him this evening.”

FOLLOW OUR CHELSEA FB PAGE! Latest Blues news and more on our dedicated Facebook page

Rosenior had defended Sanchez before the match. The Englishman said: “I think each player contributes to the overall performance and functionality of your team. So yes, the first few minutes we had a few nervy spells.

“The fact that we played out from the back affected their press and gave us space in the areas that we wanted to have those spaces. I think that’s just as clear.

“So I don’t want to single out players and say what they can or can’t improve. It’s about the functionality of the team. I don’t think anyone can say in the moment, other than the two set play goals, my team did not function well in the game. By the way, the league leaders, top of the Champions League.

“We functioned in a very good way for a lot of the game. The reason we lost the game was we didn’t take care of the moments. Nothing to do with Rob’s build, nothing to do with the way that we played. We have to manage those moments to win games of football.”

Then, discussing Aston Villa, who have netted more goals from distance than any other side in the Premier League this season, Rosenior said: “You would never tell Moises Caicedo or Enzo [Fernandez] or Reece [James] or Cole [Palmer] or Pedro [Neto], you would never tell them not to take a shot unless they didn’t think it was the right decision in that moment.

“In terms of preparing for Aston Villa, the reason they score great goals is because they have great attacking players. We show individual clips to our players. Our players know the strengths and weaknesses of each individual we’re up against. It’s going to be a very difficult game.

“They’re very clinical in terms of the xG that they create, in terms of the values of the goals that they score. They’re a good team.

“It’s going to be tough because they’re going to have a reaction from their last result. We have to make sure we’re prepared for a very difficult game.”

Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.

Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

£49

£35

Sky

Get the deal here

Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle for the 2025/26 season, saving £336 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.

Sky shows at least 215 live Premier League games each season, an increase of up to 100, plus Formula 1, darts, golf and more.