“People were getting frustrated” – Danny Murphy names Chelsea player who left Liverpool fans irritated during Carabao Cup final

Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy put in a brilliant performance against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday. So much so that former Reds midfielder Danny Murphy has claimed Red fans were getting frustrated with the goalkeeper.

Mendy was unbeatable in the final of which both Chelsea and Liverpool fought out a 0-0 draw, taking the tie all the way to a penalty shootout.

The Senegalese, however, wasn't in goal for the shootout having been substituted for Kepa Arrizabalaga mere moments before the end of extra-time.

But his performance caught the attention of many, including Reds fans who Murphy claimed were irritated by just how well he performed.

Murphy told TALKSPORT (via Chelsea Chronicle):

“People we’re getting frustrated with the way that Mendy was playing. They were (hoping) we didn’t get to penalties with Mendy. All of a sudden Kepa came on and you could feel the excitement!”

Kepa ended up being the villain of the piece. Having seen both Chelsea and Liverpool successfully dispatch each of their twenty-one penalties, he blazed his one decisively over the bar.

Blues manager Thomas Tuchel's decision to bring Kepa on for the formidable Mendy has been a hot topic of debate following the match.

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Was the decision to bring Kepa on right or wrong during Chelsea vs Liverpool?

Kepa sent his penalty high over the bar.

This is not the first time we have seen this plan put in place.

Louis van Gaal drew much acclaim for his shrewd decision to bring Tim Krul on for Jasper Cillesen for a penalty shootout. He did this during the Netherlands World Cup quarter-final against Costa Rica in 2014. Krul saved Michael Umana's penalty, winning the tie and taking the Netherlands through and many praised van Gaal for the decision.

But Sunday's substitution did not follow suit as Kepa was the deciding factor for the wrong reasons.

Jamie Carragher and Jamie Redknapp got into a fierce debate following the game on Sky Sports about Tuchel's decision.

Redknapp was particularly scathing of the decision given the game Mendy had been having prior. Whilst Carragher was quick to highlight that it had worked in the past.

The decision will continue to be up for debate but given Kepa's heroics in the cup prior to the final, Tuchel's choice may have merit.

Kepa was instrumental in both the third and fourth rounds for Tuchel's side as the Blues won two penalty shootouts with him in goal.

On the flip side, if you have a goalkeeper playing out of his skin and as Murphy states "irritating" the opposition, why change it?