Derry’s debut a ‘dream come true’ despite injury
Jesse Derry has described his full debut for Chelsea as a “dream come true” despite the teenager being hospitalised after suffering a head injury.
The 18-year-old was handed his first senior start in Monday’s 3-1 Premier League defeat by Nottingham Forest but his afternoon was cut short after a heavy collision with defender Zach Abbott.
Derry received oxygen on the pitch during a 10-minute stoppage before being stretchered off. The club later confirmed he was conscious and talking while undergoing precautionary checks.
“A dream come true to start at Stamford Bridge for my Premier League debut,” Derry wrote on social media.
“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.”
Concussion protocols triggered
Derry, the son of former QPR midfielder Shaun Derry, was replaced by Liam Delap as a concussion substitute. Under Premier League regulations, teams are permitted one such replacement per match, which does not count towards their standard substitution limit.
Interim head coach Calum McFarlane reported “positive signs” from both Derry and goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, who also suffered a head injury during a separate second-half collision.
Sanchez was forced off following a clash with Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White, though the visitors confirmed their midfielder was not substituted under the specific concussion protocol.
