Mike Penders will make his first Premier League start when Chelsea host Tottenham on Saturday. The 21-year-old became Chelsea's youngest-ever Premier League goalkeeper when he replaced the injured Emi Martinez in the second half of last weekend's 2-0 win at Everton.
Penders is now set for a run in the team as first-choice option Martinez recovers from jaw surgery. Chelsea, who loaned out former No1 Robert Sanchez to Como in the summer after signing Martinez, have full trust that Penders can be a capable understudy and be their long-term No1 of the future.
Midfield and Attack
Elsewhere in the team, Chelsea have won back-to-back Premier League games by an aggregate scoreline of 7-1 with Jordan Henderson, 36, and vice-captain Moises Caicedo as their midfield double pivot. The duo could again partner one another against Spurs at Stamford Bridge.
Cole Palmer, Joao Pedro and £117million summer signing Morgan Rogers will be expected to start as Chelsea's front three once again, while manager Xabi Alonso will likely be minded to keep Pedro Neto at right wing-back after he scored both goals against Everton.
Defensive Options and Injuries
At centre-back, Wesley Fofana has been benched for the last two matches and Alonso is known to be fond of Cobham academy product Josh Acheampong, so may well choose to start the Englishman once more. Alonso will conduct his pre-match press conference on Friday, when he will provide an update on the fitness and availability of his players.
Malo Gusto missed the Everton game due to illness, while Pep Chavarria travelled up to Merseyside and was due to start, only to be replaced in the lineup by Jorrel Hato because of a slight injury picked up in training. Captain Reece James is not expected to return to action until January following knee surgery, with Levi Colwill and Caicedo having each worn the armband over recent weeks.
Winger Jamie Gittens suffered an ankle injury on international duty with England's Under-21s and will remain sidelined for the next few weeks, while striker Emmanuel Emegha recently suffered a setback in training and it remains to be seen when he will make his competitive debut for Chelsea.
Predicted Lineup
Chelsea predicted XI vs Tottenham (3-4-2-1): Penders; Acheampong, Lacroix, Colwill; Palestra, Caicedo, Henderson, Chavarria; Rogers, Palmer; Joao Pedro.
Doubts: Chavarria, Emegha. Injured: James, Martinez, Gittens. Time and date: 5:30pm BST on Saturday October 24, 2026. Venue: Stamford Bridge. How to watch: Sky Sports.
