Under-fire Kepa 'given four months to save his Stamford Bridge career

Kepa Arrizabalaga has four months to prove to Frank Lampard that he deserves to be Chelsea's long-term No 1 following a below-par season.

The Spaniard, who cost Chelsea £72million in the summer of 2018, has made several costly errors this season but Lampard is sticking by Kepa... for now.

Lampard has ruled out signing a new keeper this month but will shell out on a new custodian if Kepa fails to live up to his price-tag between now and the summer, according to The Telegraph.

Willy Caballero will start in goal for Chelsea against Hull in the FA Cup as normal so Kepa will be able to rest and recuperate ahead of his side's next league clash against Leicester next Saturday.

Lampard, speaking ahead of Chelsea's cup clash at the KC Stadium, said of Kepa: 'I am not looking at it now.

'I am not affected by criticism from the outside as much. I am aware of it, not affected by it. It is what I want for the team and I think with Kepa he knows, he'll be honest that there have been some mistakes that have cost us goals. It is the nature of it, so that needs to improve.'

Kepa was heavily criticised last Saturday after Newcastle scored a stoppage-time winner past the former Athletic Bilbao man.