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Chelsea drop Kepa Arrizabalaga for Tottenham clash

By Matt McGeehan, | 3d
Willy Caballero was named in the starting XI on Wednesday.

Kepa Arrizabalaga was dropped to the bench for Chelsea's Premier League clash with Tottenham after his refusal to be substituted in Sunday's Carabao Cup final.

The 24-year-old – at £71.6million the world's most expensive goalkeeper – was fined one week's wages and apologised after refusing to go off with penalties looming at Wembley, sending head coach Maurizio Sarri apoplectic.

Willy Caballero, who had been readied to go on against Manchester City, will deputise for Kepa at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.

The incident was initially described as a "misunderstanding", but Kepa was subsequently fined by the club's board, with the sanction going to the Chelsea Foundation charity.

Sarri on Tuesday said the situation was "finished" and "we don't want to kill him", but the decision to omit Kepa from the starting line-up extends the fallout.

Sarri insisted he would take a decision in the best interests of his squad.

"It will be a decision for the group. For all the players," Sarri said on Tuesday.

"I want to send a message to my group. The message could be: Kepa is on the pitch or Kepa is out of the pitch.

Chelsea goalkeeper Willy Caballero started in Wednesday's Premier League clash with Tottenham (Nick Potts/PA)

"I have to decide what is better for my group."

Shortly before the match, Sarri told BT Sport: "It's a choice. It's a message for my group. That we are a group and not 25 players. It's my choice."

Chelsea made four changes to the side which lost 4-3 on penalties to City at Wembley as the Blues played their first league game since the 6-0 loss at the Etihad Stadium, a result that left Sarri's position as head coach precarious.

Gonzalo Higuain returned up front, with Willian making way and Eden Hazard moving to his preferred left wing role. Mateo Kovacic and Marcos Alonso also came in for Ross Barkley and Emerson Palmieri respectively.

Spurs, who lost at Burnley on Saturday, made four changes, with Serge Aurier, Juan Foyth, Danny Rose and Jan Vertonghen out and Kieran Trippier, Davinson Sanchez, Ben Davies and Erik Lamela coming in.



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TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Manchester CityMan City29232476205671
2Liverpool28216164154969
3Tottenham HotspurSpurs29201856302661
4Manchester UnitedMan Utd29177558382058
5Arsenal29176661392257
6Chelsea28175649301956
7Wolverhampton WanderersWolves29127103735243
8Watford29118104041-141
9West Ham UnitedWest Ham29116123741-439
10Everton28106123939036
11Leicester CityLeicester29106133540-536
12Bournemouth29104153954-1534
13Crystal Palace2996143539-433
14Newcastle UnitedNewcastle2987142636-1031
15Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2886143041-1130
16Burnley2986153253-2130
17Southampton2969143249-1727
18Cardiff CityCardiff2974182557-3225
19Fulham2945202765-3817
20Huddersfield TownHuddersfield2935211551-3614
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Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Manchester CityMan City29232476205671
2Liverpool28216164154969
3Tottenham HotspurSpurs29201856302661
4Manchester UnitedMan Utd29177558382058
5Arsenal29176661392257
6Chelsea28175649301956
7Wolverhampton WanderersWolves29127103735243
8Watford29118104041-141
9West Ham UnitedWest Ham29116123741-439
10Everton28106123939036
11Leicester CityLeicester29106133540-536
12Bournemouth29104153954-1534
13Crystal Palace2996143539-433
14Newcastle UnitedNewcastle2987142636-1031
15Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2886143041-1130
16Burnley2986153253-2130
17Southampton2969143249-1727
18Cardiff CityCardiff2974182557-3225
19Fulham2945202765-3817
20Huddersfield TownHuddersfield2935211551-3614
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