Xabi Alonso looking on from the bench
Xabi Alonso looking on from the bench
That is the opinion of former senior Tottenham scout and experienced goalkeeper, Bryan King, speaking exclusively to Football Insider.
The 21-year-old has been thrust into the limelight following injury to Emi Martinez, but got off to the worst possible start when he punched the ball into his own net to hand the visitors the lead.
Mathys Tel would add a second in the closing stages against a Chelsea side down to 10 men following Cole Palmer's red card, earning Tottenham just their second win in 36 years at Stamford Bridge.
Xabi Alonso has since backed Penders to recover from the mistake, with the youngster set to start against Liverpool on Wednesday in the Carabao Cup.
Martinez will be out for several weeks yet after undergoing jaw surgery, with his return likely to come after the international break.
Spurs have taken the lead after Mateus Fernandes' corner ends up in Chelsea's goal ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/X65gyO9yPX
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 24, 2026
'Chelsea don't like getting wt'
Chelsea signed Penders from Genk for around £17million in 2024, sending him back on loan for the season.
He spent the last campaign on loan at sister club Strasbourg, where he found his feet and impressed in 52 matches across all competitions.
"Obviously Chelsea don't like getting wet, because it did rain. Goodness me, it did rain," King told Football Insider.
"Full credit to Tottenham, they got at them. There were decent tackles flying about, decent challenges, putting players under pressure.
"Goodness knows where Chelsea got that goalkeeper from. For me, he didn't give me any confidence and he didn't look as though he'd give his back four any confidence.
"The first goal, I mean, if you're going to punch it, punch it. Don't punch it into your own goal. That's another problem with goalkeepers - they're not looking to catch it. He should have wiped out what was around him."
Xabi Alonso backs Penders to bounce back
For such a young goalkeeper, a moment like Penders' on Saturday could well have a long-standing effect.
But Alonso will hope to see it become a moment that the 21-year-old learns from and becomes better off the back of.
"We win, we lose together and it is part of the job to deal with and to overcome from mistakes, myself as well and everyone,” the Spaniard said.
"So we support Mike, and we support the rest of the team. He will learn from that, and he will want to prove that he can do better. We have to show that we can do better.”