Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso has reacted to goalkeeper Mike Penders’ own goal, which helped seal their 2-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Saturday.
The Chelsea manager emphasised that errors are an integral part of the sport that teams must navigate and overcome.
The 21-year-old Penders was making his first Premier League start as a replacement for the injured Emiliano Martinez, who had undergone surgical intervention for a fractured jaw.
The Belgian goalkeeper jumped to punch Mateus Fernandes’ corner kick in the 77th minute and, upon being challenged by Jan Paul van Hecke, inadvertently directed the ball backwards into his own net.
Mathys Tel extended Tottenham’s lead to 2-0 in the 87th minute, and the win was their first at Stamford Bridge since 2018.
Penders had previously made a crucial close-range save against Omar Marmoush, but was unable to stop Tel’s shot.
After the match, Alonso addressed the media, saying, “We achieve success collectively, and we face defeat collectively. Overcoming mistakes is fundamental to our responsibilities.
“This applies to myself as well as every member of the squad. We stand behind Mike. He will benefit from this experience. He can do better, and we must make sure he improves.”
Things became worse for the Blues three minutes after the own goal when Cole Palmer received a second yellow card for a late tackle on Conor Gallagher.
It was Alonso’s first home loss in his capacity as Chelsea manager.
