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Chelsea suffered a minor setback in the Premier League title race as they conceded top spot to Manchester City after losing to West Ham United last weekend.
The Blues are set to face another blow in the coming weeks. One of their key players is gearing up to leave for international duty after the turn of the year.
Reliable goalkeeper Edouard Mendy is expected to leave Stamford Bridge to represent Senegal in the AFCON tournament in January. This means the Blues will need to call on their second-choice option, Kepa Arrizabalaga, to feature between the sticks.
The Spaniard's level of performance at the moment is a huge cause for concern. He isn't a very reliable option for Chelsea, having conceded five goals in as many appearances so far this season. His presence in goal could deal the Blues a serious blow in their title race, and that has got many people thinking.
Former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O'Hara has raised an alarm concerning Kepa Arrizabalaga potentially replacing Edouard Mendy between the sticks in January. The Englishman believes Chelsea won't win the Premier League title with the former Athletic Bilbao shot-stopper in goal.
O'Hara was quoted as saying:
"I would worry if Kepa all of a sudden has to go in-between the sticks. I can’t see you (Chelsea) winning the Premier League with him."
Kepa Arrizabalaga joined the Blues for a massive €80 million in the summer of 2018. Despite a promising start, the goalkeeper eventually lost his place in the starting line-up owing to poor performances.
As it stands, Kepa Arrizabalaga is below Edouard Mendy in the pecking order at Chelsea. The Senegalese has been a shining light since switching to Stamford Bridge last year. So far, he's made 64 appearances across all competitions for the Blues, recording 36 clean sheets to his name.
What next for Chelsea?
After concluding their Champions League group stage outing with a 3-3 draw with Zenit in midweek, Chelsea will return to Premier League action this weekend. The Blues are scheduled to face Leeds United tomorrow and will be keen to return to winning ways after losing to West Ham last time out.
As it stands, Chelsea occupy third spot in the Premier League table with 33 points from 15 games. That is just one point behind second-placed Liverpool and two behind table-toppers Manchester City.
