Alonso urges Cole Palmer ‘to learn’ from red card in Chelsea’s defeat to Spurs
The Guardian • • sports
Key Points:
- Chelsea suffered a 2-0 defeat to Tottenham at Stamford Bridge, with Spurs securing their first win there since 2018 thanks to an own goal from Mike Penders and a late goal by Mathys Tel.
- Cole Palmer received a second yellow card for a late tackle, reducing Chelsea to ten men and prompting manager Xabi Alonso to emphasize the need for the 24-year-old to learn maturity from the incident.
- Alonso dismissed concerns about Palmer’s character despite his disciplinary issues, calling the red card a moment to remain calm and mature, and defended goalkeeper Mike Penders after his own goal in his Premier League debut.
- Chelsea are also dealing with an injury to forward João Pedro, whose condition remains uncertain following a training injury involving fluid accumulation.
- Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi expressed optimism that the victory could be a foundation for further improvement, stressing the team’s desire to keep progressing despite recent wins.
