According to a report by Metro on Saturday, October 24, 2026, former Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge has criticised Xabi Alonso for leaving Danny Welbeck out of the starting lineup during the Blues’ 2-0 Premier League defeat to Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea suffered a disappointing defeat against their London rivals, who secured a rare victory at Stamford Bridge to move up to 12th place in the Premier League standings.

The Blues entered the encounter without their leading goalscorer, Joao Pedro, who was left out of the squad after sustaining an injury during training on Friday. Instead of starting Welbeck, Alonso opted to select Geovany Quenda alongside Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers in attack.

However, the decision failed to produce the desired results as Chelsea struggled to establish an attacking rhythm throughout the match. The hosts lacked a cutting edge in the final third and found it difficult to trouble Tottenham before eventually conceding twice.

Welbeck, who joined Chelsea from Brighton during the summer and has served as Pedro’s understudy, was introduced in the 88th minute, shortly after Tottenham had scored their second goal.

Sturridge believes Alonso made the wrong decision by leaving the experienced forward on the bench, arguing that starting him could have helped Chelsea maintain their attacking structure and create more opportunities.

Speaking on Sky Sports, the former England international acknowledged Quenda’s potential but suggested that Chelsea’s established attacking approach had been disrupted by Pedro’s absence and the decision to change the team’s setup.

Sturridge also argued that the adjustment affected Palmer and Rogers, who had become accustomed to playing alongside Pedro as the team’s central attacking option.

Although he admitted that Welbeck lacks the same pace and dynamism as Pedro, Sturridge maintained that the forward’s experience and overall quality could have made him a valuable option against Tottenham.

He believes the 35-year-old could have provided the focal point Chelsea needed to bring their attacking players into the game and help the team cope with the absence of their leading goalscorer.

Welbeck’s late introduction left him with little time to influence the outcome, as Tottenham had already established control after scoring their second goal.

The defeat represents a setback for Alonso, whose side struggled to deliver the attacking quality expected at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea will now need to address their shortcomings as they prepare for their upcoming fixtures.

With Pedro’s injury assessment still pending, Welbeck could have an opportunity to play a more prominent role if the Brazilian is unavailable for the next matches.

Alonso will be hoping to find a solution that restores Chelsea’s attacking effectiveness, while Sturridge’s criticism has intensified scrutiny of the manager’s team selection and tactical decisions against Tottenham.