Chelsea forward Jesse Derry described his Premier League debut as a “dream come true” after being taken to hospital following a head injury against Nottingham Forest.
The 18-year-old was making his first start at Stamford Bridge when he clashed heads with Zach Abbott just before half-time.
Derry received oxygen on the pitch and was eventually stretchered off after a lengthy stoppage. Chelsea later confirmed he was conscious and talking while undergoing precautionary checks in hospital.
Released from hospital after checks
The club have since confirmed that Derry has been discharged, although he will continue to be monitored.
In a message posted on social media, he thanked those who helped him and reflected on the occasion.
“A dream come true to start at Stamford Bridge for my Premier League debut,” he wrote.
“I’d like to thank all the Chelsea medical staff, everyone at St Mary’s Hospital, my teammates, and all the fans for their great support. I can’t wait to be back playing in front of everyone very soon.”
Derry, the son of former Leeds and Crystal Palace midfielder Shaun Derry, had previously made two substitute appearances in the FA Cup.
He was replaced by Liam Delap as a concussion substitute. Under Premier League rules, teams are allowed one additional substitution for head injuries, separate from their standard allocation.
Further collision involving Gibbs-White and Sanchez
There was another heavy collision later in the game involving Morgan Gibbs-White and Robert Sanchez.
Both players were able to leave the pitch without assistance, with Forest later confirming that Gibbs-White had not been withdrawn for concussion.
The Forest star also posted on social media, showing heavy stitching on his face, ahead of the Europa League semi-final second leg against Aston Villa on Thursday.
