According to a report by Football London on Thursday, October 22, 2026, due to Emiliano Martinez's injury, Xabi Alonso will be forced to make a significant lineup change for Chelsea's Saturday home match against Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge.

Following Martinez's fractured jaw in the 2-0 win over Everton, Chelsea are expected to start goalkeeper Mike Penders in his Premier League debut.

On Sunday, Chelsea announced that the Argentine goalkeeper's surgery had been a success. After Martinez's injury at Hill Dickinson Stadium, he was taken to the hospital. Penders came on in the second half.

Even though Chelsea haven't announced a firm recovery timetable for Martinez, Alonso will likely have to start Penders in the London derby in his Martinez's absence.

The Belgian goalkeeper could start for Chelsea in their match against their London rivals after making his Premier League debut against Everton.

Otherwise, Alonso will likely be urged to stick to the same defensive formation that resulted in Chelsea's first clean sheet in nine months.

Midfielders Moises Caicedo and Jordan Henderson protected the back three, while Josh Acheampong, Maxence Lacroix, and Levi Colwill were impressive against Everton.

Another outstanding player was Pedro Neto, who scored both goals for the winning team. From his position as a right wing-back, the Portugal international also made defensive contributions.

While Neto scored the game-winning goal, Jorrel Hato made a mark on the other side of the field.

As a team, Chelsea's offensive players will be looking to build on this victory. While Joao Pedro, Cole Palmer, and Morgan Rogers all contributed to the victory, Alonso may have higher expectations for them in their upcoming match against Tottenham.

As a result, Chelsea's manager may be able to keep a lot of the same lineup that beat Everton, with the addition of Penders being the most notable change.

A potential starting line-up is Penders; Acheampong, Lacroix, Colwill; Neto, Henderson, Caicedo, Hato; Palmer, Rogers; and Joao Pedro.