Chelsea manager Saïd Alonso has urged midfielder Cole Palmer to learn from the red card he received during his team’s unexpected 2-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. The loss marked Tottenham’s first victory at Chelsea’s home ground since 2018.

Tottenham took the lead early through an own goal by Chelsea goalkeeper Mike Penders, who deflected a corner into his own net on his Premier League debut. The visitors then doubled their advantage with a late goal from Mathys Tel. Chelsea’s efforts to respond were hampered when Palmer was shown a second yellow card for a late tackle on Conor Gallagher, reducing the team to ten men for the final minutes of the match.

Alonso acknowledged that Palmer’s dismissal was likely justified, stating that while he had not yet reviewed the footage, the referee’s decision appeared correct based on reports. The manager emphasized the need for Palmer and the squad to demonstrate greater maturity in difficult situations. “When you have conceded for 1-0, still probably it was 15-20 minutes to go... it is one to learn for the future for sure,” Alonso said.

While Palmer had already received a booking earlier in a challenge with Mateus Fernandes, Alonso insisted the incident was not indicative of any broader issue with the player’s temperament, describing it as a moment requiring calm and maturity rather than a cause for concern. He also noted that Palmer had faced a similar situation in the previous game against Everton, where he narrowly avoided dismissal.

Chelsea’s squad was further affected by the absence of forward João Pedro, who sustained an unspecified injury in training on Friday. Alonso indicated the player was experiencing a significant amount of fluid, and tests were pending to determine the severity of the injury and the timeline for his return.

Regarding Penders’ own goal, Alonso stood by the goalkeeper, highlighting the collective responsibility of the team. “We win, we lose together. We support Mike and we support the rest of the team. He will learn from that,” he said.

Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi expressed hope that the victory would serve as a platform for continued improvement, despite the team needing to build on recent successes. “Why not?” De Zerbi said when asked if the win could be a turning point. “I can’t understand why we have to ask this question. Because we won two games in a row. But we didn’t win nothing. We want to improve, improve and improve, to be better game by game, week by week. I think we have suffered enough.”

The result marked a significant moment for Tottenham, ending a long drought at Stamford Bridge and providing a boost as the season progresses. Meanwhile, Chelsea will need to address disciplinary issues and injury concerns as they regroup.