Kepa Arrizabalaga should start for Chelsea against Manchester United, says Mark Bosnich

Kepa Arrizabalaga should return in goal for Chelsea against Manchester United on Monday Night Football, according to former goalkeeper Mark Bosnich.

The 25-year-old, who joined Chelsea for £71.6m in the summer of 2018 as the world's most expensive goalkeeper, has come in for criticism following a number of below-par displays so far this season and he paid the price with his place in Frank Lampard's starting line-up against Leicester on February 1.

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Willy Caballero got the nod to replace Kepa and it has left question marks over the Spaniard's future at Stamford Bridge, with reports suggesting Lampard wants to sign a new goalkeeper in the summer.

However, Bosnich - who played for Chelsea from 2001-02 - says bringing Kepa back in from the start against United, live on Sky Sports, will bring the best out of him.

"Personally I would bring him back in, especially if Lampard is pleased with his reaction," he told Sky Sports News.

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"It's happened to all of us in terms of getting left out of the squad and the most important thing during those training sessions and if you have to play in a reserve game is that your attitude is 100 per cent, because everyone is watching you and how you react.

"He's had a rough time and that happens to the best players and to the best goalkeepers but I really do feel he is the answer in the long term.

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"I know a lot of people have disagreed with that, I've seen that recently especially on social media, but people have to understand that players in all types of sport go through bad times and it's the way that you react from those bad times which separates you.

"It is a big game, but I think there's no better way than putting somebody like him back in and I think it will bring the best out of him."

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'Man Utd cannot afford to lose'

Fourth-placed Chelsea lead United by six points ahead of a pivotal game in both clubs' pursuit of Champions League qualification.

United have only once played back-to-back seasons in Europe's second-tier competition in 2015-16 and then 2016-17 - the season they won the Europa League under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's predecessor Jose Mourinho.

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Bosnich, who won the Premier League title with United in 2000, believes they cannot afford to fall nine points behind Lampard's side.

"I think it's a must-not-lose game for Manchester United," he said. "With the way results went on the weekend if they were to go nine points behind Chelsea that would be such a great gap for them to close going towards the end of the season.

"They've obviously played Chelsea twice already this season, they beat them in the opening game of the season and they beat them also in the League Cup at Stamford Bridge but it's not really a happy hunting ground for Manchester United.

"It's going to be a very, very difficult task for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his men but for me it's important that as a minimum in terms of qualifying for the Champions League that they get a result, whether that's a draw or a win."

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