Emi Martinez was conscious on his way to hospital after suffering a head injury during Chelsea’s win over Everton on Saturday afternoon.
The Blues came away from the Hill Dickinson Stadium with a 2-0 win thanks to a brace from Pedro Neto and their first clean sheet of the season, taking them up to fourth in the Premier League table.
But the win was soured in the second half when Martinez and Jarrad Branthwaite were involved in a nasty clash of heads in the box.
The Argentina goalkeeper needed immediate medical attention and was stretchered off the pitch before being taken straight to hospital. He was replaced by Mike Penders, who became the club’s youngest-ever goalkeeper in the Premier League era. Branthwaite was able to continue after a short period.
Emi Martinez ‘conscious’ and undergoing tests following head injury
Speaking to TNT Sports after the full-time whistle, Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso said Martinez was conscious as he left the stadium and is undergoing precautionary tests.
“As far as I know, he left the stadium conscious,” he said. “He’s in the hospital doing tests. This is what I know so far.”
Neto dedicated the Chelsea clean sheet to Martinez. “In his honour. We needed that. We did a very good game. Emi deserved this. Mike [Penders] deserved this as well. We are really happy.”
Alonso also confirmed that Malo Gusto missed the match with an illness, while Pep Charravia has been sidelined by an injury he picked up on Friday.
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