Paul Merson: Chelsea's model doesn't allow them to buy a top goalkeeper

Paul Merson says Chelsea's model for buying players doesn't allow them to buy a top goalkeeper.

Robert Sanchez was once again under the spotlight as Chelsea lost 2-1 at Man Utd on Saturday Night Football to slip seven points behind champions Liverpool at the top of the Premier League.

The goalkeeper was sent off after just five minutes for chopping down Bryan Mbeumo, making the visitors' task even harder at Old Trafford.

On Super Sunday, Sky Sports' Jamie Carragher said Chelsea can't win the Premier League with their current goalkeepers and centre-backs, and questioned why they have not improved in those areas with the amount of money they have spent.

Chelsea were interested in AC Milan 'keeper Mike Maignan last summer, but were not willing to match the Serie A club's valuation of the France international. Meanwhile, Djordje Petrovic also left Stamford Bridge for Bournemouth in a £25m deal in July.

And Merson, speaking to Sky Sports, argued the Blues are not building a squad to win the Premier League and have made a mistake in not buying a new goalkeeper.

'Chelsea have missed a trick not buying a goalkeeper'

The way the club works, there's no profit in spending big on an established goalkeeper.

They buy young players to move them on again. Very rarely you buy a goalkeeper for a lorry load of money and move them on for a profit. But I think they have missed a trick, you need a goalkeeper who will save you points.

Robert Sanchez is a brilliant shot-stopper, but his decision making is poor. He's always got a mistake in the locker.

That's a problem. He has games where his shot-stopping is off the charts but the thing that separates the top goalkeepers from the rest is they don't make mistakes - or if they do it's once in a blue moon.

'No club has won anything without a top goalkeeper'

No club has ever won anything without a top goalkeeper. It's very rare. You never look at clubs that win things anywhere in Europe and say the goalkeeper is the weak link - that never happens.

Chelsea have a model that they stick to.

If there's no profit in it the player won't be bought. They buy young at the right market value - that doesn't really work for a goalkeeper.

It's changed at Chelsea, as long as they get in the top four to play Champions League. I still see them among the top five, I see them finishing around the third, fourth, fifth mark.

At the moment, they aren't building a squad to win the Premier League.

'Maresca made strange decisions at United'

It was a strange game against Man Utd. There were also some strange decisions made.

When the goalkeeper gets sent off it's a major ricket. The goalkeeper has come out, it's rainy, the ball is skidding, and he's nowhere near it. It's a shocking decision from Sanchez.

After that, I don't know what the manager is thinking.

He's managing a top side in the Premier League, in Europe. The one player you do not take off that pitch is Pedro Neto, whatever happens, because he's got pace to burn and he's the out ball.

You stick him up top and they have to keep two back because he's that quick, and then you're playing 9v9.

To bring him off, I couldn't catch my breath. He's the one player that had to stay on.

'It's been a stop-start beginning to season for Blues'

It's been so stop-start from Chelsea so far this season.

People have said, 'oh it was good at Bayern Munich'. It was only alright. They didn't rip it up and they didn't really take the game to Bayern Munich. I thought Bayern were in second gear at times.

It's now a big couple of weeks for Chelsea.

This weekend against Brighton - they always do well at Chelsea. That's why Chelsea end up buying all their players.

Everyone will be trying for Brighton this weekend because they're on trial, ready to get their £50m or £60m move in January. It's unreal how many players have made that move.

All the Brighton players will be getting an early night on Friday.