Manchester City beat Chelsea on penalties to retain the Carabao Cup after a 0-0 draw but Kepa’s late refusal to be substituted was the major talking point</s>London: Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga insisted he has full respect for manager Maurizio Sarri after refusing to be replaced in the final stages of his side's League Cup final loss to Manchester City on penalties.

Sarri was visibly furious when Kepa refused to leave the field after needing treatment, but the Italian coach later claimed his anger was the result of a "misunderstanding".

"At no time has it been my intention to disobey the coach or any of his decisions," Kepa wrote in a statement issued on his Twitter feed.

"I think everything has been misunderstood in the heat of the final part of the match for a title.

"The coach thought I was not in a position to play and my intention was to express that I was in good condition to continue helping the team, while the docs that had treated me arrived at the bench to give the message.

"I feel the image that has been portrayed was not my intention. I have full respect for the coach and his authority."

Kepa saved Leroy Sane's penalty in the shootout, but could have done better with Sergio Aguero's effort that slipped under his body as City retained the trophy 4-3 on penalties after a goalless draw.

Sarri repeatedly gestured at Kepa to come off, then began to storm down the tunnel in rage before returning to the touchline for the final minutes of extra-time and penalties.

However, speaking after the match, Sarri back-tracked as he suggested it was a communication issue that caused the problem.

"In that situation there was a big misunderstanding," Sarri said.

"I understood there was a problem and we needed a change. I didn't find out until the doctor arrived to the bench after a few minutes.

"It was a big misunderstanding. I understood the goalkeeper had cramp and for me he was unable to go to penalties but the problem was not cramp so he was able to go to penalties."

The controversy casts a further cloud on Sarri's future with reports prior to the match suggesting he could be sacked if Chelsea failed to beat the English champions.

"If I was in the dressing room I would expect the manager to come in and deal with it straight away," said former Chelsea captain John Terry in his role as a TV pundit.

There have been several reports that Chelsea's players have lost faith with his methods and Kepa's behaviour only added to that perception.

The blues are languishing in sixth in the Premier League, but did put in a far more spirited display than the one that saw them thrashed 6-0 by City just two weeks ago.

"After this match I have to say that I'm sure (I have the backing of the players) because they played exactly how I asked today and I am proud of my players," insisted Sarri.

"We showed to everyone we could become a very solid team. Against Manchester City is not easy so I am really very happy with my players, proud of my players."

Firstpost is now on WhatsApp. For the latest analysis, commentary and news updates, sign up for our WhatsApp services. Just go to Firstpost.com/Whatsapp and hit the Subscribe button.</s>Manchester City won the Carabao Cup 4-3 in a penalty-shoot out at Wembley yesterday after Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga defied manager Maurizio Sarri’s attempt to substitute him.

City claimed the first major trophy in their four-pronged assault on silverware but this stale final, which was goalless after extra-time, will be remembered for an almost unprecedented challenge to Sarri’s authority by Arrizabalaga.

The £71m Spanish keeper, Chelsea’s club record signing, had been struggling with cramp in the closing stages of extra-time and Sarri decided to send on substitute Willy Caballero, who saved three penalties in a shootout to help Manchester City win this trophy against Liverpool in 2016.

Arrizabalaga refused to come off and Sarri backed down in a rage, before his misery was completed as City won the shootout, with Raheem Sterling scoring the winning penalty.

Ilkay Gundogan, Sergio Aguero and Bernardo Silva scored from the spot for City and even though Arrizabalaga saved from Leroy Sane it was to no avail.

Jorginho’s spot kick was saved by Ederson and David Luiz hit the post as Chelsea were sunk, despite Cesar Azplicueta, Emerson and Eden Hazard converting their kicks.

Manchester City retained the trophy but Arrizabalaga’s insubordination will be the headline story.

The scenes inside Chelsea’s dressing room hardly bear thinking about after the chaos of those closing moments at Wembley.

Arrizabalaga’s point-blank refusal to be replaced by Caballero led to furious exchanges between Sarri and his technical staff, with the Italian looking at one stage as if he would storm away and leave his Chelsea players to it for the conclusion.

He eventually returned but blazing with fury. Antonio Rudiger then restrained Sarri as he appeared set on confronting Arrizabalaga after his one-man rebellion.

Of course, the goalkeeper was seriously at fault, showing his manager a complete lack of respect in ignoring his demands.

What, however, does this say about Sarri’s authority and rule at Stamford Bridge that he backed down instead of demanding the goalkeeper obey his demands?

The sad aspect was that this was a tactically sound and spirited Chelsea display, in sharp contrast to the 6-0 mauling at Manchester City on 10 February.

Chelsea grew into the game and consider themselves unfortunate to lose in this manner – but the ramifications of those closing moments will reverberate around Stamford Bridge and could have very serious consequences for both Sarri and his goalkeeper.</s>Chelsea have been trigger-happy with managers under Roman Abramovich and removing Maurizio Sarri would be short-sighted.

Maurizio Sarri is on the brink at Chelsea and defeat in the EFL Cup final against Manchester City at Wembley on Sunday could seal his fate.

Recent results have been poor, but it is a remarkable situation, given Sarri was drafted in as the successor to Antonio Conte to wean the team off their ruthless counter-attacking approach and implement the attractive style of football he honed in the Italian doldrums and earned great acclaim for at Napoli.

Data preview to the EFL Cup between Chelsea and Manchester City

His technical, expansive approach has drawn praise from Pep Guardiola and Arrigo Sacchi – two coaches renowned for revolutionising the game tactically. But Chelsea fans have quickly grown weary; a section of the support chanting “F*** Sarriball” following the 2-0 home loss to Manchester United in the FA Cup on Monday made that abundantly clear.

Letting a head coach go without giving him proper time to have a chance to implement the system for which he was selected looks like madness. However, this is Chelsea, the club that have had 13 managerial appointments – permanent and interim – since Roman Abramovich took over in 2003. Managers come and go at Stamford Bridge, where short-termism reigns supreme.

In addition to their FA Cup exit, Chelsea have been embarrassed 4-0 by Bournemouth and resoundingly thrashed 6-0 at City – their heaviest defeat in the Premier League era – in the past month.

Fighting on four fronts has made for a congested schedule and Sarri has made no attempt to hide the effect that has had on his ability to stamp his mark on the team.

“As you know it’s not easy as we have no time, we are trying to solve our problems. It’s not easy because we have to play every three days, so we have no time on the [training] pitch,” said the Italian on Wednesday.

His bedding-in period during pre-season was hampered by Chelsea wrangling with Napoli over a compensation package for his services. Sarri eventually started work in west London in mid-July, despite Carlo Ancelotti having been appointed as his successor at the Stadio San Paolo seven weeks prior.

He tempted Jorginho to follow him from Napoli and lay the foundations for his Chelsea revolution rather than sign for City. He made a strong start at the base of the midfield, but as the Italy international’s performances dipped, the scrutiny of Sarri’s methods increased.

Jorginho was brought in to move the ball quickly from the base of a midfield three, a key facet in making Sarri’s approach work. It is a job the head coach does not believe N’Golo Kante, one of the best holding midfielders in the Premier League for the past four years, is suitable for.

It has been a consistent bone of contention this season, with Kante having to operate in a different, more attacking role – one he looks ill-fitted for. Yet while his offensive deficiencies are glaring, the World Cup winner should still have the capacity to use his tenacity and energy to aid a more expansive approach.

Goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga has been the only other permanent arrival – Christian Pulisic will not be available until next season – and that was enforced due to Thibaut Courtois’ desire to move to Real Madrid, while the loans of Mateo Kovacic and Gonzalo Higuain do not smack of a long-term investment in Sarri’s ideals.

And it seems the 60-year-old former banker is having trouble getting the players he inherited to buy in.

“Maybe it’s my fault, maybe I’m not able to motivate them … I didn’t see the signal of my work,” he said after a lengthy post-match debrief in the wake of the Bournemouth humiliation, before adding two days later he needed “to change the mentality completely”.

But Sarri is presiding over a group of players who know that when results fall away, the manager pays the price. The fact Eden Hazard’s contract expires at the end of next season adds to the desperation to secure a top-four finish this term and secure Champions League qualification. Failure to do so will make it unlikely the Blues will be able to persuade him to stay.

Sarri was brought in to give Chelsea a new identity on the pitch, but the seemingly unbending short-sightedness in the boardroom means another defeat might end the process before it really gets a chance to get off the ground.

Relieving him of his duties would represent a missed opportunity to establish an exciting new era by the same old Chelsea.</s>Kepa Arrizabalaga’s refusal to be substituted by Chelsea head coach Maurizio Sarri in Sunday’s Carabao Cup final penalty shootout loss to Manchester City sparked numerous questions.

Kepa missed last Thursday’s Europa League match with Malmo with a hamstring problem but returned at Wembley. He twice required treatment late in extra-time, with the match heading for penalties, so Sarri planned for his substitution. Willy Caballero, who saved three penalties for City in their 2016 League Cup win, was readied to go on, but Kepa declined to go off. It sparked confusion and angered Sarri.

Why did it happen?

Sarri, Kepa and David Luiz, the closest player to Kepa throughout the incident, were ‘on message’ afterwards, all insisting it was a misunderstanding, not insubordination. The explanations brought a cynical response as the images suggested the latter. Plus, the fact Sarri did not haul Kepa off to show his authority suggests all is not well. Kepa is the world’s most expensive goalkeeper at £71.6million and Sarri’s position is precarious, but Luiz dismissed suggestions it was indicative of players holding the power at Chelsea.

What was the initial reaction?

Under International Football Association Board rule three, “if a player who is to be replaced refuses to leave, play continues”. England captain turned broadcaster Gary Lineker tweeted his surprise at the “extraordinary” incident. And former Chelsea skipper John Terry, working as a pundit for Sky Sports on the game, said: “Once your number goes up you have to come off and show a bit of respect.”

Has this happened before?

There is precedent for this – and in a League Cup final. Former Manchester United goalkeeper Les Sealey continued despite a badly gashed leg in a 1-0 loss to Sheffield Wednesday in 1991, but continued as United did not have a substitute goalkeeper. In the Premier League in April 2017, while at Swansea, Lukasz Fabianski was injured in the 81st minute, declined a change in the 86th minute and conceded three goals afterwards as a 1-0 lead turned into a 3-1 loss to Tottenham.

Why is it especially significant for Chelsea?

Chelsea’s history suggests players hold the influence at Stamford Bridge. The hire-and-fire policy of owner Roman Abramovich shows managers have little shelf life and players have previously exploited it. This is not the same group as the one which defied Andre Villas Boas or masterminded a Champions League win under Roberto Di Matteo, when the senior players were said to be more influential than the interim manager. But the incident suggested something of a leadership vacuum.

What will happen next?

Chelsea play Tottenham on Wednesday in the Premier League in a match crucial for Sarri’s future. Lose and the Blues will slip further adrift of the Champions League qualification places. It appears impossible to jettison the world’s most expensive goalkeeper, so it seems Kepa is likely to play. If he is omitted, whatever the explanation, it will continue the furore for days to come.</s>Manchester City won the Carabao Cup in a penalty-shoot out at Wembley after Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga defied manager Maurizio Sarri's attempt to substitute him.

City claimed the first major trophy in their four-pronged assault on silverware but this stale final, which was goalless after extra-time, will be remembered for an almost unprecedented challenge to Sarri's authority by Arrizabalaga.

The £71m Spanish keeper, Chelsea's club record signing, had been struggling with cramp in the closing stages of extra-time and Sarri decided to send on substitute Willy Caballero, who saved three penalties in a shootout to help Manchester City win this trophy against Liverpool in 2016.

Arrizabalaga refused to come off and Sarri backed down in a rage, looking as if he would walk down the tunnel and then having to be restrained by Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger at the final whistle.

Sarri's position was utterly undermined and the Italian's misery was complete when City won the shootout, with Raheem Sterling scoring the winning penalty.

Ilkay Gundogan, Sergio Aguero and Bernardo Silva scored from the spot for City and even though Arrizabalaga saved from Leroy Sane it was to no avail.

Jorginho's spot kick was saved by Ederson and David Luiz hit the post as Chelsea were sunk, despite Cesar Azplicueta, Emerson and Eden Hazard converting their kicks.

Manchester City retained the trophy but Arrizabalaga's insubordination will be the headline story.</s>Cesar Azpilicueta urged Chelsea to build on their improved performance in the Carabao Cup final with more consistent displays.

Although Maurizio Sarri's side lost 4-3 on penalties to Manchester City after a goalless draw at Wembley on Sunday, there were plenty of positives for the Blues.

A fortnight ago they were thrashed 6-0 away by City in the Premier League, but Pep Guardiola's men could not find a way past Azpilicueta and his defence.

Chelsea remain in the hunt for Champions League qualification despite a series of underwhelming results and performances in the top flight, while they are also in the Europa League last 16.

And captain Azpilicueta wants Chelsea to match the levels they produced against City as they regroup for the rest of the season.

"We knew that we had to fight very hard against a very strong team, we had chances to win the trophy and lost on penalties," he told Sky Sports.

"We are disappointed as we were close to being the champions but it was not the case. We have to recover now.

"First of all obviously we did a very good effort everyone involved we ran a lot and fought a lot. We lacked a bit with the ball, but we had good chances as well. Now it's time to recover.

"We are disappointed as our fans were amazing and it's been a long way until today to get to the final. We deserve to be here, but we were not able to win the cup on the penalties.

"We are Chelsea, we are used to competing and fighting for trophies, but at the same time it's frustrating as we don't show our level and this inconsistency leaves us where we are in the Premier League.

"We have to be focused and play in the Europa League, also to try to qualify for the Champions League, so hopefully we are ready to fight for it."

Chelsea's loss was exacerbated by Kepa Arrizabalaga appearing to defy Sarri's decision to substitute him during extra time.

Kepa needed treatment twice and Willy Caballero was ready to replace him ahead of the shoot-out, with Sarri seemingly furious on the sidelines as the goalkeeper refused to come off.

The Chelsea head coach later claimed it was a "misunderstanding" with the goalkeeper, who had cramp instead of an injury, with Azpilicueta insisting he was unaware of the bizarre scenes.

"Honestly, I don't know because I was on the other side of the pitch," he said. "So I can't comment."</s>But the Spaniard stayed on the field despite his number being shown on the board. Under-pressure Sarri reacted with fury as as the game ended goalless after 120 minutes.

With the score tied at 0-0 in the game against Manchester City, Chelsea boss Sarri wanted to replace the apparently injured goalkeeper with Willy Caballero in the closing minutes of extra time at Wembley.

In extraordinary scenes, Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga undermined his manager Maurizio Sarri by refusing to be substituted as Chelsea were beaten in the Carabao Cup final.

😳 - Have you EVER seen anything like it!? Maurizio Sarri tries to substitute Kepa Arrizabalaga for Willy Caballero, but Kepa refuses to come off and Sarri is absolutely FURIOUS! 😡 pic.twitter.com/Q81v6ry3Kk

People couldn’t believe what they were seeing ...

Wow. This is bonkers. Not sure I’ve ever seen a player refuse to be subbed. Extraordinary.

Unbelievable. Sarri substitutes the #Chelsea goalkeeper but he won't come off. Sarri backs down. Managerial authority destroyed. pic.twitter.com/7J26Pi2sl4

Arrizabalaga just walked across at full-time and shook Caballero's hand. Mutinous act by the No 1 towards Sarri, refusing to come off when his coach demanded. You have to feel for Caballero. Plenty of pressure on Arrizabalaga in the shootout now.

Kepa redeemed himself slightly by saving a spot-kick from Leroy Sane but with Ederson denying Jorginho and David Luiz hitting a post, City claimed victory and the first leg of a potential quadruple.

Is the Kepa thing a bigger scandal than those screen-printed, Times New Roman bomber jackets City are wearing?

Feel for Kepa. Takes over as Chelsea manager and almost immediately loses his first game in charge...

Sarri, like Theresa May in the Cabinet, has lost the convention of collective responsibility at Chelsea

oh my god, the wink from Kepa after the final whistle #CHEMCI pic.twitter.com/2LaMvAOgOp

Sarri later played down the incident with Kepa as a ‘misunderstanding’ and said his goalkeeper would not face any disciplinary action.

“In that situation there was a big misunderstanding caused by the radio,” he told Sky Sports.

“I understood there was a problem and we needed a change. I didn’t find out until the doctor arrived to the bench after a few minutes.

“It was a big misunderstanding. I understood the goalkeeper had cramp and for me he was unable to go to penalties but the problem was not cramp so he was able to go to penalties.”

Asked why he began to walk away down the tunnel before turning around, Sarri added: “I needed only to return to be quiet.

“I think as I say, the goalkeeper understood that I asked for a change for his physical problem. He said, ‘I haven’t got a physical problem’, so he was right I think.”

Asked if Kepa was guilty of ignoring instructions, Sarri said: “I have to talk with him but only to clarify because now I have understood very well the situation.”</s>There were remarkable scenes at Wembley as Kepa Arrizabalaga refused to be substituted but Raheem Sterling hit the winning penalty for City.

Raheem Sterling hit the winning penalty as Manchester City retained their EFL Cup crown with a 4-3 penalty shoot-out victory over Chelsea following a goalless draw that saw Kepa Arrizabalaga incredibly defy under-pressure Maurizio Sarri.

City hammered Chelsea 6-0 at the Etihad Stadium two weeks ago but Maurizio Sarri’s switch of system to use Eden Hazard as a false nine – with Gonzalo Higuain missing out at Wembley on Sunday – boosted his side’s defensive solidity.

Pep Guardiola claimed pre-match it was too early to talk about City’s chances of winning a historic quadruple despite being in the FA Cup quarter-finals, leading their last-16 Champions League tie with Schalke and sitting neck-and-neck with Liverpool in the Premier League.

Remarkably, an injured Kepa would not make way for Willy Caballero in extra time and, although he saved one spot-kick, Sterling converted the decisive effort for City to deny Sarri, reportedly close to the sack, his first trophy as a manager.

A controversial start saw Jorginho escape punishment after appearing to elbow Sergio Aguero straight from kick-off before referee Jon Moss gave no foul when Oleksandr Zinchenko’s challenge halted the progress of N’Golo Kante as the midfielder ran through on the City goal.

City began to find their rhythm and Aguero rifled a shot over the crossbar before his deflected effort was easily claimed by Kepa.

The holders thought they had opened the scoring in the 56th minute but Aguero was rightly flagged offside and a VAR check upheld the decision.

Kante should have broken the deadlock but, after Hazard’s dazzling run deceived City’s half-time substitute Vincent Kompany, he blazed the perfect cutback over the crossbar.

Aguero and Sterling could not find a finishing touch in an extra-time goalmouth scramble before City’s record goalscorer was denied by Kepa.

The Blues keeper required treatment twice in the added period but refused to be replaced by Caballero, who saved three penalties for City in the 2016 final, leaving Sarri furious.

Jorginho’s tame effort was saved by Ederson to hand Chelsea an immediate advantage, but Kepa saved from Leroy Sane then David Luiz hit the post.

Hazard’s Panenka effort kept Chelsea alive but Sterling crashed his strike in off the crossbar to retain the title for City and keep their quadruple hopes alive.

What does it mean? Players buy into Sarri system

Sarri has been wedded to his philosophy of possession above all else but there were signs at Wembley he is willing to compromise.

City dominated the ball – as they almost always do – but the Blues mucked in with hard work to deny the Premier League champions space in attack.

Sarri also sent on youngsters Callum Hudson-Odoi and Ruben Loftus-Cheek as his first two substitutions in a popular move with fans, but Kepa’s refusal to be substituted showed he lacks complete control.

Often treated as something of a joke figure by supporters, Luiz produced an outstanding performance in the heart of the Chelsea defence. He was completely dominant in the air but will rue his miss in the shoot-out.

After missing so much of the season through injury, City’s playmaker Kevin De Bruyne lacked his usual sharpness and incision on the ball and he was replaced by winger Sane.

De Bruyne overhit a surprising number of passes and crosses, contributing to City’s inability to open up the Chelsea defence, while he wasted a 73rd-minute free-kick in an enticing position.

– Manchester City have won the EFL Cup for a sixth time – only Liverpool (eight) have won the trophy more often in the competition’s history.

 – City have won each of their last six penalty shootouts, with the last five all coming in the EFL Cup.

 – Callum Hudson-Odoi – aged 18 years and 109 days – became Chelsea’s second-youngest player to appear in an EFL Cup final, after John Boyle (18y 80d) in 1965.

 – Two of the four finals involving Pep Guardiola as a manager to have gone to penalties have been against Chelsea, with Guardiola winning both (also 2013 DFB-Supercup with Bayern Munich).

 – The first shot of the match came in the 22nd minute, while the first shot on target wasn’t until the 43rd minute.

City’s Premier League title challenge continues on Wednesday with the visit of West Ham. On the same day, Chelsea welcome Tottenham to Stamford Bridge in a big London derby.</s>Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri insisted goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga’s refusal to be substituted was a “misunderstanding” even if the Spaniard should have showed more respect towards his boss as Manchester City retained the League Cup on penalties.

The Italian tried to replace the world’s most expensive goalkeeper with Willy Caballero towards the end of a cagey 120 minutes that ended 0-0.

Kepa had received treatment for an injury in the final stages and Sarri said he believed he was suffering from cramp until later informed otherwise by the club doctor.

“It was a big misunderstanding because I understood he had cramp so I didn’t want the goalkeeper to go to penalties in that physical condition,” said Sarri.

“I realised the situation after only three or four minutes when the doctor came to the bench.”

City goalkeeper Ederson denied Jorginho and David Luiz hit the post in the shootout before Raheem Sterling smashed the winning penalty past Kepa.

“The goalkeeper wanted only to let me know that he was in condition to go to the penalties,” added Sarri. “He was right for the motivation but not for the conduct.”

However, Kepa’s show of defiance puts Sarri’s future under the spotlight once more on what had until then been a vindication of his tactics just two weeks on from Chelsea’s worst defeat since 1991 in a 6-0 thrashing at the hands of City in the Premier League.

“I don’t know you have to ask the club,” said Sarri on his future. “Today I am really very happy because my feeling is that we are improving because we could become a very solid team.

“Today we conceded nothing to Man City which is not very easy. They are very dangerous in the offensive phase, they usually score a lot. On the pitch I saw the match that I prepared yesterday, so for a coach it is a very important thing.”

With his back to the wall, it was perhaps understandable then that Sarri adopted a far more cautious approach.

Gonzalo Higuain was dropped to the bench to leave Eden Hazard to plough a lone furrow up front - as the Belgian did when Chelsea beat City 2-0 in December.

“It was quite a similar game to the one in Stamford Bridge where we lost,” said City boss Pep Guardiola.

“What happened two weeks ago is not normal, we knew it.”

However, Guardiola played down suggestions City could now go on to lift a historic quadruple of trophies with the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup to follow.

“Winning this game is good for the enthusiasm for the next games. But we are going to suffer for the next competitions, especially in the Champions League and Premier League,” added a downbeat Guardiola after losing Aymeric Laporte and Fernandinho to muscle injuries that could rule them out for a few weeks.

Sarri’s gameplan nearly worked perfectly 24 minutes from time when Hazard left Vincent Kompany trailing and crossed for N’Golo Kante, but the French midfielder couldn’t keep his shot under the bar.

Only the finest of margins denied Hazard once more in stoppage time as he raced clear on goal only to see the offside flag go up to Sarri’s dismay.

An extra 30 minutes also failed to muster a goal with City regaining a semblance of control.

A combination of Cesar Azpilicueta and Kepa prevented Sergio Aguero turning home Sterling’s cross from point-blank range.

Aguero had one final chance to win it three minutes from time, but Kepa made his best save of the game low to his left before refusing to make way for Caballero.

A visibly furious Sarri even started making his way towards the tunnel before turning back to take his place on the touchline.

Kepa did save Leroy Sane’s spot-kick, but should have done better when Aguero’s penalty slipped underneath his body.

Ilkay Gundogan also found the net for City before Sterling sealed the first major silverware of the season by drilling his penalty in off the underside of the bar.
Manchester City F.C. defeat Chelsea F.C. in the English Football League Cup Final in the penalties after 120 minutes of goalless draw for their 6th EFL title. Post-match discussion is dominated by Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga's controversial refusal to leave the pitch when head coach Maurizio Sarri attempted to substitute him.