Alonso backs ‘Courtois successor’ Penders after costly Chelsea error

Xabi Alonso refused to blame goalkeeper Mike Penders after his mistake helped Tottenham beat Chelsea 2-0 at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League.

Penders put the ball into his own net before Mathys Tel scored an excellent second goal to give Tottenham a memorable victory away from home.

“We are obviously disappointed with both the result and the performance,” Chelsea manager Alonso told reporters, in comments published by Football London.

“We spoke at half-time and I had the feeling the game would be decided by goals, especially the first one. The second half was quite even, with some half-chances for them and similar opportunities for us. But once we conceded the first goal, everything changed.”

Chelsea’s attempt to respond was undermined soon afterwards when Cole Palmer was sent off.

“Almost immediately, when we wanted to show a reaction, Cole Palmer received the red card and things went in the opposite direction,” Alonso said. “Maybe we could have performed better, so this is a big game to reflect on and review, particularly because we faced a strong opponent.”

Asked whether the incident could serve as a lesson for Palmer, who may have been fortunate not to be dismissed in an earlier incident involving Matheus Fernandes, Alonso said: “I have not seen either incident on television, but from what I have been told, it is likely the referee made the right decision.”

He added that Chelsea needed to remain composed after going behind.

“When you concede and are 1-0 down with probably 15 to 20 minutes remaining, you have to continue dealing with the game in the right way,” said Alonso. “I need to review the incident before I can speak with Palmer, but it is certainly an experience he should learn from in the future.

“I think Cole Palmer is in a different place when he is focused on the game and enjoying his football. But today, after we conceded the first goal, it was a moment that required calmness and maturity. That applies to everyone.”

Joao Pedro injury remains unclear

Alonso also said Chelsea did not yet know how serious Joao Pedro’s injury was because of significant swelling.

“We do not know how serious it is at the moment because he has a large build-up of fluid,” he said. “He felt the injury yesterday and we will probably have to wait until tomorrow for the scans, so we can understand the full situation and how serious it is.”

Despite Penders’ error, Alonso said the 19-year-old would receive the club’s full support.

“How do you deal with a young goalkeeper such as Mike Penders and help him overcome a mistake like that?” Alonso said. “We win together and lose together. Dealing with mistakes and moving beyond them is part of the job. That applies to me personally, as it does to everyone else.

“We support Mike and the rest of the team. He will learn from this mistake and want to show he can perform better. We also have to show that we can improve and produce a better performance.”

Before the match, Alonso had compared Belgian goalkeeper Penders with his compatriot Thibaut Courtois, the Real Madrid goalkeeper.