By LUKE POWER, SPORTS REPORTER
Published: | Updated:
Chelsea goalkeeper Emi Martinez has been rushed to hospital after suffering a sickening head injury during their trip to Everton.
And the Argentinian was booed as he was stretchered off the pitch at the Hill Dickinson Stadium with the visitors 1-0 up after Pedro Neto's goal.
He had received medical treatment after smashing heads with Toffees defender Jarrad Branthwaite and their clash caused a roughly 10-minute delay.
'As far as I know, he left the stadium conscious,' Xabi Alonso told TNT Sports after the match. 'He's in the hospital doing precautionary tests. This is what I know so far.
Martinez had come to punch the ball out from a free-kick when Branthwaite went up for a header and the pair collided.
They both hit the floor immediately after impact, causing great concern in the stadium.
Chelsea goalkeeper Emi Matinez was rushed to hospital with a head injury after a collision
He had come together with Jarrad Branthwaite in a sickening clash and needed medical attention before beign stretchered off
Branthwaite also required treatment and a concussion test but was able to carry on
Paramedics rushed on and also attended to Branthwaite, who cut his nose and lip, but he was able to carry on.
TNT Sports' broadcast did not show any replay of the incident and cameras cut away from 34-year-old Martinez, who joined Chelsea in the summer.
Martinez was only lifted onto the stretcher after six minutes, with Mike Penders coming on as his replacement in the 73rd minute when he had been removed.
He seemed to be conscious as he was being stretchered off as his arms were moving.
Medics had been giving him oxygen as he lay on his back on the turf.
His injury is a blow for Chelsea, who signed him from Aston Villa for £7.5million late in the window to seemingly fix their goalkeeper issue.
Former number one Robert Sanchez conceded three on the opening weekend against Fulham and is now on loan at Como.
But Chelsea's porous defence has often left the 2022 World Cup winner exposed and he is yet to keep a clean sheet across a full 90 minutes.
The incident caused a roughly 10-minute delay and Martinez was booed as he was taken off
Penders, a 21-year-old Belgian goalkeeper with experience at Genk and Strasbourg, came on for his Premier League debut in his stead.
Neto bagged his second goal of the day in the 90th minute to set Chelsea on course for victory.
Their win sent Xabi Alonso's side fourth in the table, and Everton down to sixth, though their match was the first of the weekend so their placements stand to change.
Chelsea have improved in the last couple of weeks.
They went into the international break on the back of a dismal 3-0 defeat at Brentford, but have since thrashed Bournemouth 5-1 and now taken three points at Everton, who came into the clash unbeaten.