According to a report by 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.

The Blues will welcome their London rivals to Stamford Bridge as they look to extend their winning 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 21-year-old is now expected to retain his place between the posts while the Argentine recovers from jaw surgery.

Chelsea have reportedly placed their confidence in Penders as a reliable backup and a potential first-choice goalkeeper in the future. His opportunity comes after Martinez suffered a serious head injury during the Everton encounter.

Alonso is expected to maintain the midfield partnership of Jordan Henderson and Moises Caicedo. The duo have helped Chelsea secure consecutive Premier League victories by an aggregate score of 7-1.

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

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

Malo Gusto has recovered from illness and is available for selection. However, Pep Chavarria is expected to miss the Tottenham clash 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 sustaining an ankle injury while on international duty with England’s Under-21s.

Emmanuel Emegha will miss the encounter as he continues recovering from a training setback. His competitive debut for Chelsea remains uncertain.

Chelsea will hope their predicted starting eleven can deliver another strong performance against Tottenham and maintain their recent momentum.

Chelsea Predicted Lineup (3-4-2-1): Penders; Acheampong, Lacroix, Colwill; Palestra, Caicedo, Henderson, Gusto; Rogers, Palmer; Joao Pedro.