Xabi Alonso has sent a clear message to Mike Penders after the Chelsea goalkeeper's costly mistake against Spurs.

The 21-year-old endured a difficult moment during Saturday's 2-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge, when he punched a corner into his own net under pressure from Jan Paul van Hecke.

The error handed Spurs the lead with 13 minutes remaining, before Mathys Tel scored a second goal to seal the victory.

It was a painful moment for a goalkeeper making his first Premier League start, particularly after he had produced important saves earlier in the contest.

However, Alonso has made it clear that one mistake will not change the club's faith in the youngster, who is expected to play an important role while Emi Martinez recovers from injury.

Xabi Alonso sends message to Mike Penders after Spurs error

Speaking to Chelsea's official website ahead of Chelsea's Carabao Cup meeting with Liverpool, Alonso acknowledged the challenge facing Penders now he must recover from his mistake, but stressed that this is a learning curve and an unavoidable part of playing football at the highest level.

"It's a challenge to deal with good performances and mistakes, but that is part of the job, being a professional footballer playing at the highest level," the Chelsea boss said.

"What happened on Saturday is in the past; it's a lesson for him and everyone. We fully support him tomorrow."

The comments underline Alonso's determination to protect Penders from being defined by one difficult moment. The Belgian is still at an early stage of his career, and the manager clearly believes the best response is to give him the backing and opportunity to improve.

Penders was not solely responsible for Chelsea's defeat, either. The Blues struggled to turn their possession into clear chances, while Cole Palmer's second-half dismissal made their task considerably harder.

Alonso has repeatedly emphasised that responsibility for results rests with the entire team, rather than being placed on an individual player.

Penders set for another chance against Liverpool

Alonso has also confirmed that Penders will remain in goal for Wednesday's Carabao Cup tie at Anfield, giving the youngster an immediate opportunity to respond to his critics.

The decision represents a show of faith from the Chelsea boss, who could have opted to shield his goalkeeper from further scrutiny after such a high-profile mistake.

Instead, Penders will be expected to put the disappointment behind him and focus on helping his team progress in the competition.

The situation also highlights the importance of Chelsea's goalkeeping depth, with Martinez expected to remain unavailable for several weeks following his injury. Penders may therefore have further opportunities to establish himself in the first team.

There will inevitably be attention on the youngster's performance against Liverpool, but Alonso's message suggests he does not want the goalkeeper playing with fear of making another mistake, and his response to this setback could define how the rest of his season goes.