According to a report by Sky Sports on Sunday, October 25, 2026, former Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge has urged goalkeeper Mike Penders to put his costly mistake against Tottenham Hotspur behind him and focus on rebuilding his confidence after Chelsea suffered a 2-0 Premier League defeat at Stamford Bridge.

Penders made a costly error during Saturday's London derby when he inadvertently punched the ball into his own net from a Tottenham corner, allowing the visitors to take the lead. Mathys Tel subsequently doubled Tottenham's advantage, handing Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso his first home defeat since taking charge of the club.

The 21-year-old goalkeeper was under pressure from Jean Paul van Hecke during the corner, but his attempt to deal with the delivery ended in an unfortunate goal. Chelsea struggled to recover from the setback and ultimately failed to find a response against their London rivals.

Speaking on Sky Sports after the match, Sturridge acknowledged the seriousness of the incident but stressed that mistakes are an unavoidable part of a goalkeeper's career. He encouraged Penders to learn from the experience rather than allow it to undermine his confidence in future matches.

“It’s a monumental mistake, but that’s the life of a goalkeeper,” Sturridge said.

“You’re in the spotlight. If you make a mistake, it leads to a goal, and that’s what happened today, unfortunately for him.”

The former England international also highlighted the psychological pressure goalkeepers face when an individual error directly affects a team's result. He suggested that Penders should approach the situation as a learning opportunity and work with Chelsea's coaching staff to identify areas for improvement.

Offering further encouragement, Sturridge said, “But you’ve got to push on, bro. It’s happened; the game is over; tomorrow is a new day. You’ll watch it back on video; you’ll go with your goalkeeper coaches; you’ll discuss everything: how do we improve?” he added.

Sturridge's advice comes at a challenging moment for Chelsea, whose supporters will be disappointed by the result. Nevertheless, the former striker believes Penders must accept responsibility for the mistake while continuing to develop his abilities.

Penders could retain his place in the starting lineup for the upcoming fixtures, with Emiliano Martinez reportedly unavailable because of a broken jaw.

Chelsea are scheduled to face Liverpool at Anfield in the EFL Cup on Wednesday before hosting Manchester United in the Premier League on Saturday. They will then travel to Sunderland ahead of the November international break.