Chelsea moved provisionally into the Premier League’s top four with a 2-0 win at Everton on Saturday — but the victory was overshadowed by a serious head injury to goalkeeper Emi Martinez.
Pedro Neto scored both goals at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, ending Everton’s unbeaten start to the season. Yet the afternoon’s defining moment came in the 66th minute, when Martinez collided with Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite and had to be stretchered from the pitch.
Neto at the double
After a combative first half marked by five yellow cards and several heated exchanges, Chelsea struck just 43 seconds after the restart. Jorrel Hato found an unmarked Neto, who swept home into the bottom corner to break the deadlock.
The Portuguese winger sealed the win in the 90th minute, reacting quickest to a loose ball after a Jordan Henderson free kick rebounded off the Everton wall, stroking it into the bottom corner past Jordan Pickford. It was Neto’s first Premier League brace, earning him a 9.4 Sofascore rating after a performance in which he also created five chances.
“We are really pleased. Shame for Emi but we wish you all the best. This win is for him,” Neto told TNT Sports afterwards. “We need a clean sheet, to be honest. I think we did a very good game. Emi deserved this, Mike did as well.”
Martinez injury mars the win
The game was paused for several minutes in the second half after Martinez and Branthwaite came together at speed when Everton’s Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall whipped a free kick into the box. Branthwaite was back on his feet after treatment, but the 34-year-old Argentine goalkeeper required extensive attention from paramedics.
Martinez was eventually strapped to a stretcher and carried off before being taken to hospital. Manager Xabi Alonso confirmed afterwards that the keeper had suffered a concussion.
“It was a concussion but beyond that I don’t know. I have only seen one clip of the incident, so we need to wait,” Alonso said. “What we know is that he left the stadium conscious and right now he is in hospital doing precautionary tests. We need to wait. Hopefully it won’t be too bad but we need to wait.”
Penders steps up
Martinez’s injury forced Alonso to hand 21-year-old Mike Penders his Premier League debut. The Belgian youth international handled the occasion with composure, helping Chelsea keep their first league clean sheet since January — ending a run of 22 matches without one.
“Mike has personality. He’s brave and we have full trust with him. He did well,” Alonso added. “He played in the cup games and whenever he’s needed, like the other players whenever they are needed they can perform.”
With concussion protocols set to keep Martinez out of training, Penders may be needed again soon. Chelsea host Tottenham Hotspur in the league next Saturday, followed by a League Cup fourth-round trip to Liverpool on October 28 and a home match against Manchester United three days later.
For Everton, the defeat was a first this season — and a reminder of how fine the margins are at the top of the table. David Moyes’ side had made an impressive start at their new home, and the Hill Dickinson Stadium crowd played its part in a feisty first half. But Chelsea’s quality told after the break, with the visitors outshooting Everton 18 to six across the 90 minutes.
For Chelsea, two wins, a clean sheet and fourth place made it a good day’s work. Everyone at Stamford Bridge will just be hoping their goalkeeper’s news is good.
London Streets has been covering London’s theft figures and Neasden Temple’s Diwali fireworks this weekend.
