Jesse Derry has given Chelsea fans a welcome update after being taken to hospital following a hideous head clash against Nottingham Forest.
Derry, 18, was given his Premier League debut by interim boss Callum McFarlane in the 3-1 home defeat.
But his afternoon ended in brutal fashion shortly before half-time. In contesting a ball in the air with Forest defender Zach Abbott, Derry was knocked unconscious and there was a nine-minute delay while medical staff treated him.
Derry was then taken off the pitch on a stretcher and driven to St Mary’s hospital in distressing scenes.
Son of former Premier League midfielder, Shaun, Jesse has now appeared to confirm everything is on the mend.
On X he wrote: ‘A dream come true to start at Stamford Bridge for my Premier League debut.
Jesse Derry (left) was knocked out by this head clash but offered a positive update
‘I’d like to thank all the Chelsea medical staff, everyone at St Mary’s Hospital, my team-mates, and all the fans for their great support.
‘I can’t wait to be back playing in front of everyone very soon.’
He accompanied the message with four pictures of him during the game, in which he’d acquitted himself well before the injury.
Chelsea were given a penalty for the challenge on Derry but Cole Palmer’s spot kick was saved by Matz Sels.
Given the nature of the injury and fact he was given oxygen on the pitch, Derry’s team-mates, friends and family will be hugely relieved that there is no lasting damage.
Derry was not the only unfortunate recipient of a head injury during the game. Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White lasted just 20 minutes after coming on as a second-half substitute.
He sustained a nasty gash to the head after colliding with Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez after challenging for an aerial ball.
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Both players immediately crumpled to the floor and needed urgent medical treatment with their heads split open.
After five minutes of medical care, both players left the field with their heads bandaged as Chris Wood replaced Gibbs-White and Filip Jorgensen doing likewise for Sanchez.
After the match, Gibbs-White took to Instagram to show off his wound – which detailed a lengthy number of stitches from his nose to above his left eyebrow.
As well as that injury, his nose was swollen with a steroplast up his right nostril.
Captioning his picture, which saw him give a thumbs up, the England international wrote: ‘Thanks for the messages. What a win, congrats T [Taiwo Awoniyi].’
Shortly after Gibbs White’s Instagram story, Sanchez took to the same platform to show his injury.
The Spain international had stitches applied to the top of his forehead and shared a picture of that, alongside a caption: ‘Seen that you came out worst [sic] than me, hope you are OK big man @morgangibbswhite.’
