'He slipped up there' - Ian Wright criticises Thomas Tuchel over key Chelsea decision

Ian Wright has taken aim at Thomas Tuchel for replacing Edouard Mendy with Kepa Arrizabalaga in Chelsea’s Carabao Cup final defeat to Liverpool, claiming the decision ultimately ‘cost’ the club the trophy.

Mendy produced a string of superb saves as last weekend’s Wembley showpiece went the distance, with neither side able to break the deadlock across 120 minutes of pulsating action.

But Kepa – who had started every previous round for the Blues – was sent on in the dying moments of extra time in preparation for penalties given he had the superior spot-kick record heading into the nail-biting shootout.

Tuchel’s bold substitution backfired, though, as Kepa failed to deny any of Liverpool’s 21 attempts from 12 yards before ballooning his own effort over the crossbar to hand a record ninth League Cup to the opposition.

The Chelsea head coach took full responsibility and insisted he had no regrets about taking Mendy off, while the likes of Gary Neville and Jamie Redknapp were left baffled by the decision.

Legendary ex-Arsenal striker Wright – speaking on Ringer FC’s Wrighty’s House podcast – agreed with the Sky Sports punditry duo, arguing that Tuchel had badly ‘slipped up’.

‘Coming off of AFCON, coming off the fact that he’s voted the best goalkeeper in the world. Tuchel… he slipped up there, man! F***!’ Wright said.

‘Sorry, I’m not taking him out there. Leave Mendy in the goal!

‘If I’m going to take a penalty against one of them two I’d want to take it against Kepa simply because I know that he’s a goalkeeper that I believe I can beat. Mendy would frighten me.’

According to Wright, Kepa should have denied Ibrahima Konate’s penalty after going the right way and getting a hand on the ball.

‘The Konate penalty alongside Timo