According to a report by the Evening Standard on Saturday, October 24, 2026, Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has backed Mike Penders to recover from his difficult full Premier League debut against Tottenham at Stamford Bridge.

The young Belgian goalkeeper was handed his first Premier League start for Chelsea after regular goalkeeper Emi Martinez was ruled out through injury. However, his debut quickly turned into a difficult evening as Chelsea suffered a 2-0 defeat to their London rivals.

Penders struggled to establish authority in his penalty area during the early stages of the match and was responsible for Tottenham’s opening goal. The 21-year-old attempted to punch the ball clear but inadvertently directed it into his own net, giving Spurs the lead in unfortunate circumstances.

Despite the costly error, Alonso refused to single out Penders for criticism after the match. The Chelsea manager stressed that mistakes were part of football and said the entire squad would support the young goalkeeper as he attempts to recover from the setback.

Alonso explained that Chelsea must accept responsibility collectively when results go against them, adding that he also makes mistakes in his role as manager. He said Penders would receive the support of the squad and would have the opportunity to learn from the incident.

The Chelsea boss also expressed his belief that the goalkeeper would be determined to demonstrate that he can perform better in future matches. Alonso added that the entire team needed to improve following the disappointing derby defeat.

Penders is highly regarded by Chelsea and has also earned a strong reputation in Belgium. The goalkeeper has previously been compared with Real Madrid legend Thibaut Courtois, a comparison Alonso himself referenced before the Tottenham match.

The young goalkeeper now has an immediate opportunity to respond to his difficult debut when Chelsea travel to face Liverpool in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.

With Martinez expected to remain sidelined for several weeks, Penders could become Chelsea’s first-choice goalkeeper for the foreseeable future. That makes his ability to respond to the setback particularly important as Alonso’s side prepares for a demanding period.

Penders’ error was not Chelsea’s only major setback against Tottenham, with Cole Palmer also receiving a red card after being booked twice for fouls.