Former Liverpool forward Michael Owen believes Kepa ‘confused’ Andreas Christensen before the Chelsea defender was sent off for taking down Sadio Mane on the cusp of half-time.
The Danish centre-back was shown a straight red following a VAR review after he was adjudged to have brought down the Senegal forward just a minute before the break.
Jordan Henderson played an exquisite 50-yard pass straight over the top of Chelsea’s defensive line and Mane had the beating of the chasing Christensen.
However, the Senegal international still had to control the ball and it looked as though his first touch would take him away from goal, leaving him with plenty to do.
Christensen took plenty of flak from Chelsea supporters on social media for his decision to bring down Mane but Owen believes Kepa’s presence influenced his decision and forced the Dane into a panic.
‘We hear a lot of the time about goalkeepers creating nervousness in their back four and I think that’s a perfect example,’ Owen told Premier League Productions.
‘He did it earlier on in the game when he ran out of his box for no apparent reason. When your goalkeeper is nervous it runs throughout your team. He shouldn’t be running 25 yards out of his goal.’
Earlier in the production, Owen expanded further on his belief that Kepa was culpable in the sending off.
‘I don’t think there’s any complaints about the red card decision,’ Owen said.
‘It took two attempts from the referee to get there but I think he got there in the end.
‘It was a great run from Sadio Mane to get across the face of Christensen but the goalkeeper comes out and confuses the situation for the big centre half.
‘He [Christensen] puts two arms around Sadio Mane, grabs him, wrestles him to the ground and it’s a definite sending off.’
Liverpool turned the screw in the second half and found the opening goal shortly after the restart when Mane headed in Roberto Firmino’s cross.
Kepa’s afternoon then got even worse when the Spaniard saw his pass out intercepted by Mane, who had an empty net to confirm the three points.
The former Athletic Bilbao stopper is likely to be dropped next week as Chelsea are expected to confirm a deal for Rennes goalkeeper Edouard Mendy this week.
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