Former Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge has criticised Xabi Alonso’s team selection following the Blues’ disappointing 2-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in their Premier League London derby at Stamford Bridge on Saturday evening.

According to a report by Metro on Saturday, October 24, 2026, Tottenham delivered an impressive performance against their London rivals, securing a crucial away victory that lifted them to 12th place in the Premier League table. on Saturday, October 24, 2026, Tottenham delivered an impressive performance against their London rivals, securing a crucial away victory that lifted them to 12th place in the Premier League table.

Chelsea entered the encounter without their leading goalscorer, Joao Pedro, who missed the match after sustaining a knock. In the Brazilian forward’s absence, Alonso opted against starting Danny Welbeck, instead selecting Geovany Quenda to join Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers in the attacking line.

However, the decision did not yield the expected outcome, as Chelsea struggled to create clear-cut scoring chances and failed to match Tottenham’s intensity. The Blues produced a disappointing attacking display and were unable to capitalise on their home advantage.

Alonso also faced criticism for delaying Welbeck’s introduction until the 88th minute. By then, Tottenham had already established a two-goal lead, leaving the experienced striker with very little time to make an impact on the game.

Sturridge questioned the decision, insisting that Welbeck’s experience and footballing ability could have benefited Chelsea if he had been included in the starting lineup.

Speaking on Sky Sports, the former England international openly expressed his dissatisfaction with Alonso’s tactical approach to the London derby.

“I think the manager got it wrong,” Sturridge said, suggesting that the Chelsea boss made a mistake in his choice of attacking players.

While acknowledging Quenda’s potential and ability as a young footballer, Sturridge argued that starting the teenager may have disrupted Chelsea’s attacking balance and reduced the effectiveness of Palmer and Rogers.

“Quenda is a very good young player, make no mistake, but I think the way in which the team have played in the last couple of weeks, they were prepared to play with Joao Pedro,” he explained.

Sturridge further noted that Chelsea had established an attacking system built around Pedro’s role as the central striker. His absence required Alonso to make adjustments that may have affected the understanding and movement between the team’s forwards.

The former Chelsea striker also highlighted Welbeck’s experience as a key reason why he should have been considered for a starting position. Although he acknowledged that Welbeck lacks Pedro’s pace and explosiveness, Sturridge maintained that the striker’s experience and tactical intelligence could have helped Chelsea deal with Tottenham’s challenge.

“Is Welbeck as fast as him? No. Is he as dynamic? He isn’t. But what we know is he is a very good, very experienced football player who could have come in and done a job,” Sturridge added.

Sturridge maintained that Welbeck deserved to start the derby, adding to the growing criticism of Alonso’s selection and tactical decisions after Chelsea failed to deliver a convincing performance and suffered a disappointing defeat in front of their home supporters.