According to a report by The Athletic on Sunday, November 1, 2026, Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso remains concerned about his team's defensive weaknesses despite their 2-0 victory over Manchester United at Stamford Bridge.

The report highlighted several problems in Chelsea’s defence, including Wesley Fofana’s inconsistent performances, repeated injury setbacks and the absence of an experienced leader capable of organising the backline.

Chelsea’s victory over United marked their second clean sheet in three Premier League matches, an improvement after a difficult run in which they went nine months and 23 league games without keeping a clean sheet.

Goalkeeper Mike Penders played an important role in the result, producing an impressive second-half save to deny Bryan Mbeumo. The Belgian goalkeeper had also featured in their previous clean sheet against Everton.

However, the performance did not completely resolve Chelsea’s defensive concerns. Manchester United created several dangerous opportunities before half-time, while Matheus Cunha also had a goal ruled out in a closely contested decision.

Fofana came under particular scrutiny after losing possession and allowing Amad Diallo to threaten Chelsea’s goal. He was also caught out during another United attack, raising further questions about his concentration and reliability at the back.

His disciplinary record has also become a concern, with the report stating that he has received two red cards in 25 appearances and seven yellow cards in just 14 matches.

Injuries have further complicated Alonso’s efforts to build a consistent defensive partnership. Malo Gusto, Levi Colwill, Pep Chavarria, Maxence Lacroix, Aaron Anselmino and Reece James have all missed parts of the campaign through fitness problems.

Lacroix’s latest hamstring injury has created another setback, reducing the manager’s defensive options ahead of a busy period in the season.

Despite spending around £130 million on defensive additions during the summer transfer window, Chelsea may still need to strengthen that area of the squad. The report suggests that the club could target an experienced centre-back in January to provide the leadership currently missing from their defence.

Although the win over Manchester United was an encouraging result, Chelsea will need to improve their defensive organisation and achieve greater stability at the back if they hope to compete consistently for major honours.