Chelsea’s Martinez taken to hospital for ‘precautionary tests’
Chelsea goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was taken to hospital for precautionary tests after suffering a suspected concussion during the club’s 2-0 Premier League victory over Everton on Saturday, according to manager Xabi Alonso.
Martinez played a key role in helping Chelsea secure their first clean sheet in the league in nine months, ending a run of 23 matches without one.
However, the victory at Hill Dickinson Stadium was overshadowed by the goalkeeper’s injury. Pedro Neto scored twice to secure all three points for Alonso’s side.
The incident occurred in the 68th minute when Martinez collided with Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite while attempting to collect a cross from a free-kick taken by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
Play was halted for eight minutes before the Argentina international was substituted by Mike Penders, who made his Premier League debut for Chelsea and played out the remainder of the match.
Speaking after the game, Alonso said Martinez had suffered a concussion but admitted that further information was needed to determine the severity of the injury.
He explained that he had only seen one video clip of the incident and that the club would have to await further medical assessments.
Alonso added that Martinez had left the stadium conscious and was undergoing precautionary tests at the hospital. He expressed hope that the injury would not be serious.
The incident has raised concerns over Martinez’s availability for Chelsea’s next three fixtures. The Blues are scheduled to face Tottenham and Manchester United in the Premier League, with a Carabao Cup encounter against Liverpool in between.
Chelsea end nine-month wait for clean sheet
Chelsea recorded their first Premier League clean sheet since a 2-0 victory over Brentford in January.
Although Alonso said he was not overly focused on clean sheets, his team had conceded 13 league goals before the match, the highest tally in the division at the time.
The defensive improvement followed an impressive 5-1 victory over Bournemouth after the international break.
Chelsea had also faced criticism over their perceived lack of resilience, particularly in away matches in northern England. They had lost 19 of their previous 41 games in the region over the past four years.
Last season, the Blues suffered a 3-0 defeat at Everton during Liam Rosenior’s five-match winless run, which eventually cost him his job. Chelsea had also won just one of their previous nine visits to Everton.
On Saturday, however, Everton managed only six shots, their lowest total in a Premier League match since registering five against Arsenal in December.
Chelsea conceded just one clear-cut scoring opportunity and recorded their lowest expected goals against figure against a top-flight opponent this season, at 0.45.
Alonso deployed a back three comprising Josh Acheampong, Maxence Lacroix and Levi Colwill, with Neto and Jorrel Hato operating as wing-backs. Hato provided the assist for one of Neto’s goals.
The midfield partnership of Moises Caicedo, who had returned from international duty, and new signing Jordan Henderson also provided greater stability and experience.
Morgan Rogers, Chelsea’s £117 million club-record signing, set an aggressive tone with a combative performance, including a confrontation with Everton defender James Tarkowski during the first half.
Alonso said the performance demonstrated that Chelsea could win through defensive discipline and resilience, particularly in difficult away matches.
He acknowledged that Everton had put his side under pressure through throw-ins, corners and other set-piece situations during the first half, but praised his players for maintaining their shape and composure.
Questions over Penders’ readiness
With several demanding fixtures approaching, attention has shifted to whether Penders can fill Martinez’s position if the Argentine is ruled out.
At 21, Penders became Chelsea’s youngest goalkeeper to feature in the Premier League. His readiness for the upcoming matches could come under greater scrutiny if medical tests confirm a concussion for Martinez.
Premier League concussion protocols typically require a minimum 14-day return-to-play process.
Chelsea signed Penders from Belgian club Genk for £17 million in 2024 before allowing him to remain at the club on loan. He subsequently spent last season on loan at sister club Strasbourg, where he impressed in Ligue 1 and the Conference League.
Genk have developed a strong reputation for producing top goalkeepers, and Penders has frequently been compared to Real Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois.
Standing at 6ft 7in, Penders shares Courtois’ height and has recently served as his understudy within Belgium’s national team set-up.
He has also trained under renowned youth goalkeeping coaches Guy Martens and Gilbert Roex, who have helped develop several prominent goalkeepers, including Koen Casteels, Maarten Vandevoordt, Lucca Brughmans and Nordin Jackers.
The coaches focus on developing goalkeepers who are comfortable with the ball at their feet. Penders demonstrated this ability during his time at Strasbourg, where he recorded the highest average position when playing out from the back under Rosenior early last season.
Roex, who has followed Penders since his academy days, believes the young goalkeeper has the potential to achieve success comparable to Courtois, who has played for Chelsea, Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid.
He praised Penders’ composure, describing his calmness as a valuable quality for a goalkeeper.
Source: BBC
About The Author
