According to a report by the London Evening Standard on Friday, October 23, 2026, Chelsea are expected to hand Mike Penders his first Premier League start against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday following Emi Martinez’s injury.

Chelsea will host their London rivals at Stamford Bridge as they look to continue their impressive run under manager Xabi Alonso.

Penders became Chelsea’s youngest ever Premier League goalkeeper when he replaced the injured Martinez during their 2-0 victory over Everton last weekend. The 21year old is now expected to start against Tottenham while Martinez recovers from jaw surgery.

Chelsea have placed their trust in Penders as a dependable backup and a potential first choice goalkeeper in the future. His opportunity comes after Martinez suffered a serious head injury during the Everton match.

In midfield, Alonso is expected to retain the partnership of Jordan Henderson and Moises Caicedo. The pair have helped Chelsea record consecutive Premier League victories by an aggregate score of 7-1.

Cole Palmer, Joao Pedro and Morgan Rogers are also expected to feature in attack. Pedro Neto could continue in the right wing back position after scoring both goals against Everton.

At the back, Josh Acheampong is expected to keep his place alongside Maxence Lacroix and Levi Colwill. Wesley Fofana has started on the bench in Chelsea’s last two matches, giving Acheampong another chance to impress.

Malo Gusto has recovered from illness and is available for selection. However, Pep Chavarria is expected to miss the Tottenham match after suffering a minor injury during training.

Chelsea captain Reece James remains sidelined following knee surgery and is not expected to return until January. Jamie Gittens is also unavailable after suffering an ankle injury while on international duty with England’s Under 21s.

Emmanuel Emegha will miss the encounter as he continues to recover from a training setback, leaving his competitive debut for Chelsea uncertain.

Chelsea will hope to maintain their recent momentum and secure another important victory against Tottenham.

Chelsea predicted lineup 3-4-2-1: Penders; Acheampong, Lacroix, Colwill; Palestra, Caicedo, Henderson, Gusto; Rogers, Palmer; Joao Pedro.