Martinez stretchered off with head injury as Chelsea beat Everton 2-0, Spurs clash in doubt

Emiliano Martinez was taken to hospital after suffering a serious head injury in Chelsea’s 2-0 Premier League victory over Everton, casting serious doubt over his availability for next weekend’s home clash against Tottenham at Stamford Bridge.

The 34-year-old goalkeeper took a heavy blow to the head from Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite and was stretchered off following a 10-minute delay for treatment. Substitute Mike Penders replaced Martinez and helped Chelsea preserve the clean sheet.

Chelsea head coach Xabi Alonso offered a cautious update after the match. “What we know is that he left the stadium conscious,” Alonso said. “Right now he’s in the hospital doing precautionary tests. So we need to wait, and, for sure, hopefully it won’t be too bad, but we need to wait at the moment.”

Under elite-level concussion protocols, a return to action is possible from day seven — which would coincide with the Tottenham fixture — but only if Martinez completes a six-stage return-to-play procedure without setback. The process begins with a mandatory 48-hour rest period limiting both physical and cognitive activity, followed by a graduated return to daily activities and light football training, before progressing through football-specific exercise, non-contact training, and full-contact training.

According to FA guidelines, no activity during the early stages should “worsen existing symptoms more than mildly or produce new symptoms.” Given that Martinez would not have trained at all during the week, his participation against Spurs appears unlikely. Chelsea midfielder Nico Gonzalez missed his side’s following fixture after suffering a concussion earlier this season, underlining how rarely players return so quickly.

Alonso faces further selection concerns heading into the Tottenham match. Club captain Reece James underwent knee surgery earlier this week and is expected to be sidelined for several months. On a more positive note, midfielder Moises Caicedo returned and was instrumental in the Everton win, while Martinez himself produced several fine saves before his early exit.