Kepa to start for Chelsea against Krasnodar, Ziyech to undergo scan

The world's most expensive goalkeeper made an error resulting in a goal in each of his three Premier League appearances this season and has been usurped by new signing Edouard Mendy.

Mendy has proved a stellar signing for Chelsea, having kept nine clean sheets in his first 13 appearances for the club. He also has the best Champions League save percentage (93.8) among keepers to have featured at least three times this season.

With Chelsea guaranteed to advance from Group E in first place, Lampard will take the opportunity to give Kepa another chance in the first team.

"Kepa starts. As I always say about the team it is about attitude and how you approach the game," said the Blues boss.

"Obviously, his situation is different because goalkeepers have to be patient when they're not starting games and generally with Mendy's form he's been a very regular pick for me easily.

"But this game is one for Kepa, who is training brilliantly well and acting brilliantly well. These periods will happen in a player's career and sometimes they make you stronger and better at the other end, so I have no qualms about putting him back in.

"He has been very supportive [of Mendy]. I have seen that. I watch from afar and he has been supporting him – quietly, as is his right – and is training well. That's what I look at. Goalkeepers have to push each other as a group, and I see that. His reaction has been spot on."

3 - Based on Opta's expected goals on target data (xGoT), Edouard Mendy prevented three goals in Ligue 1 last season, while Kepa Arrizabalaga conceded 11 more than would be expected in the Premier League last term. Upgrade? pic.twitter.com/DUVVfry5wj

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 24, 2020

Lampard assured he is not being pushed to ensure Kepa gets time on the pitch given the £71.6million fee Chelsea paid to sign him from Athletic Bilbao in 2018.

Asked if there was pressure on him to play the Spaniard, he replied: "There's no pressure. The pressure is to win games and I have to do the right thing game by game.

"Mendy has made himself a permanent fixture because with the pressure to win games you have to pick people in form. But the game tomorrow is a chance to give Mendy a rest and give Kepa a game."

Ziyech will not feature against Krasnodar, however, having lasted just 30 minutes of Chelsea's 3-1 win against Leeds United on Saturday.

Lampard has no long-term concerns about the Morocco international's fitness after he missed time at the start of the season with a knee problem.

"He is going for a scan this afternoon so I will have more information tomorrow on his hamstring injury. He's out and Callum Hudson-Odoi is also out, he had a hamstring problem in training," he said.