Gary Neville is left baffled by Robert Sanchez’s decision-making in Chelsea’s defeat by Man City after his error – and suggests club should REPLACE struggling goalkeeper following poor display

Gary Neville has slammed Robert Sanchez’s performance in Chelsea’s 3-1 defeat by Man City.

Sanchez, 27, has established himself as Enzo Maresca’s first choice goalkeeper this season, starting 21 of their 23 Premier League games.

However, the Spaniard’s displays have become increasingly error-strewn and Sanchez was at fault again against City when he recklessly ran out of his area before being lobbed by Erling Haaland as the hosts went 2-1 up.

That came after Sanchez made a blunder in Chelsea’s 3-1 victory over Wolves on Monday and no player has committed more errors leading to an opposition goal in the Premier League this season than the Blues stopper.

Sanchez was even jeered by the away supporters at the Etihad during the second half and Neville hit out at him following Haaland’s goal.

‘What is the goalkeeper doing?,’ Neville said on commentary. ‘Why is he there? Such a poor, poor decision.’

Speaking later on the Gary Neville podcast, the Man United legend added: ‘We have to talk about the goalkeeper. That wouldn’t have been a goal if the goalkeeper isn’t 25 yards off his line at the edge of the box.

‘What is he doing? I mean he’s making a lot of errors and I remember a few years ago that I was quite tough on Karius at Liverpool when he was coming through and making errors.

‘Liverpool were a team that were growing to a point where they could win the title, but they wouldn’t have won a title with Karius in net because he was making too many errors. 

‘It’s a too important position and I think Chelsea at this point in time are going to have to look at their goalkeeper.

‘It’s obvious because he’s making far too many errors, week in week out. He gets away with it some weeks, but today he hasn’t got away with it. It was a mini turning point in the game.’

Former Chelsea defender Gary Cahill echoed Neville’s thoughts and insisted although Sanchez has had good displays this season, he must do a lot better.

‘It’s a strange decision from the goalkeeper,’ he said. ‘You can see it from his reaction. He’s frustrated with himself because he’s taken up a high position. 

‘He finds himself stranded a little bit. You are not going to make up that distance. As soon as he goes out there Haaland makes up his mind.

‘I think the Chelsea manager really likes him. He’s shown faith in him but obviously in that position if you make a mistake you get punished and he needs to eradicate that out of his game.

‘The noise comes from making mistakes, there’s a little bit of pressure on your back from making mistakes and a couple of times this season he’s done that.’

Cahill continued: ‘He’s also kept them in games at times and I’ve seen him produce some amazing saves.

‘He can play out from the back which Enzo (Maresca) wants to happen in terms of the build-up but he needs to eradicate these mistakes.’

Meanwhile, Jamie Redknapp called out Sanchez’s lack of ‘common sense’, before he highlighted the possibility of back-up keeper Filip Jorgensen replacing the Spaniard and explained why his lack of form is a major problem for Chelsea. 

‘If you’re playing in any other position you get a rest,’ Redknapp explained. ‘But when you’re a goalkeeper it’s a bit different. 

‘The problem is I don’t think the other keeper (Jorgensen) is maybe at that top level either so Maresca is probably thinking what to do.

‘It (Sanchez’s form) gives nerves to everybody, and it’s becoming very public now. The Chelsea fans get nervous when he’s on the ball, and worry if he is he going to make a mistake and he compounds it by doing things like today. 

‘Today is purely decision making. That’s a bad decision he makes, he doesn’t have to come out like he did. If he stays in his goal he (Haaland) probably doesn’t score. 

‘So it’s just poor goalkeeping from his point of view. The only thing you can do is work hard in training, keep doing the right things and turn around this run of form that hasn’t been good enough. But it’s not looking good for him at the moment.’

Chelsea’s No 2 Jorgensen has featured just twice in the Premier League this season, although he has been a regular in cup competitions, racking up 13 appearances in total. 

And, speaking after the defeat by City, Maresca raised the prospect of replacing Sanchez with the Danish stopper.  

‘We trust Robert for sure but in the same moment he is aware that he is making mistakes,’ Maresca said. ‘We continue to trust Robert but we have an entire week, see the reaction and decide for the next games.’

Maresca admitted pre-match that Sanchez is ‘still far, far away from where I want him to be’ and the 27-year-old’s long-term future appears under threat.

‘Robert for sure is completely aware that he has to do better,’ the Chelsea boss added. ‘He knows perfectly. In this moment it’s like this. He’s the first to know that he has to do better.’

Chelsea dropped to sixth following the defeat, with Maresca’s side returning to action a week on Monday when they host West Ham.