Former Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge has criticised manager Xabi Alonso for leaving Danny Welbeck out of the starting line-up during the Blues’ 2-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.

According to a report by Metro on Saturday, October 24, 2026, Sturridge believes Alonso made the wrong decision by delaying Welbeck’s introduction until the closing stages of the Premier League encounter at Stamford Bridge.

Tottenham secured a rare victory away to their London rivals, with the result lifting them to 12th place in the league table.

Chelsea entered the contest without their leading goalscorer, Joao Pedro, who was omitted from the squad after picking up a knock.

However, rather than starting Welbeck as his replacement, Alonso selected Geovany Quenda for his first Premier League start, with Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers completing the attacking trio.

The decision failed to produce the desired result, as Chelsea struggled to create clear opportunities and lacked attacking cohesion throughout the match.

Alonso eventually introduced Welbeck in the 88th minute, after Tottenham had scored their second goal, leaving the experienced forward with little time to influence the outcome.

Sturridge argued that the manager’s decision to alter the attacking set-up affected Palmer and Rogers, who had been accustomed to playing alongside Pedro.

Speaking to Sky Sports, the former England international said, “I think the manager got it wrong.”

He acknowledged Quenda’s potential but questioned whether changing the attacking formation was the right approach for such an important fixture.

“Quenda is a very good young player make no mistake but I think the way in which the team have played in the last couple of weeks, they were prepared to play with Joao Pedro.”

Sturridge added that Pedro’s absence appeared to affect the team’s overall attacking structure and the performances of Chelsea’s other forwards.

He also highlighted Welbeck’s experience and ability to provide a focal point in attack, despite acknowledging that the forward does not possess the same pace or dynamism as Pedro.

Welbeck has served as Pedro’s understudy since arriving from Brighton during the summer transfer window.

Sturridge maintained that the experienced forward could have offered Chelsea a more suitable option from the start, particularly given the circumstances surrounding Pedro’s absence.

“For me, Welbeck should have started today.”