Mike Penders is expected to make his first Premier League start for Chelsea against Tottenham at Stamford Bridge, according to Football London and the Standard. Both outlets say the 21-year-old goalkeeper will step in because Emiliano Martinez is out after jaw surgery. This is reported and predicted team news, not a confirmed line-up. Xabi Alonso gives his pre-match press conference on Friday.
Mike Penders first Premier League start: what is reported
Football London’s Bobby Vincent says Martinez suffered a fractured jaw in the 2-0 win at Everton and had successful surgery, as the club confirmed on Sunday. Chelsea insiders have not given a timeframe for his return, the paper says. Penders came on in the second half at Everton, and Vincent writes that this means he is expected to make his full Premier League debut against Spurs.
The Standard’s Dom Smith says Penders became Chelsea’s youngest-ever Premier League goalkeeper when he replaced Martinez at Everton. It reports he is set for a run in the team while the Argentine recovers, and that Chelsea trust him as a capable understudy and a long-term number one.
Mike Penders on Belgium duty, July 2026. Photo: Bryan Berlin, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The rest of the predicted XI
Both predictions keep most of the side that kept a first clean sheet in nine months at Everton, according to Football London. Its predicted XI is Penders; Acheampong, Lacroix, Colwill; Neto, Henderson, Caicedo, Hato; Palmer, Rogers; Joao Pedro. The Standard’s version differs at wing-back, with Palestra and Chavarria in place of Neto and Hato.
The Standard adds that Reece James is not expected back until January after knee surgery, Jamie Gittens is out for a few weeks with an ankle injury, and Malo Gusto missed the Everton game through illness. Alonso’s Friday press conference should settle the picture.
Read more in our latest Chelsea team news, the Everton report and the December fixtures guide.
Sources: Football London (Bobby Vincent), The Standard (Dom Smith). Featured image: Chelsea FC (chelseafc.com).
