Chelsea faithful were left worried after goalkeeper Emi Martinez was stretchered off in the second half of their 2-0 win over Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
The Argentina international was involved in a collision with Toffees defender Jarrad Branthwaite, and appeared to have sustained a head injury in the aftermath.
Reports from Argentine journalist Gaston Edul have now revealed that tests have shown that Martinez did not sustain any head injuries, but picked up an injury to his jaw.
The 34-year-old appears set to undergo surgery to repair the damage to his jaw, and could be set for a spell on the sidelines.
What do we know about Emi Martinez's status?
Just around half of the second half had been played when Martinez collided with Branthwaite at a set-piece, and the former Aston Villa goalkeeper came off worse from the collision.
He lay prone on the turf while multiple medical personnel knelt around him, trying to get him stable enough to be moved to a proper medical facility for necessary checks.
It took around ten minutes before they carried him off the pitch and straight down the tunnel, allowing Mike Penders to come on for his Premier League debut for the Blues in the 75th minute.
When asked about the veteran goalkeeper after the game, Xabi Alonso stated that he had left the stadium in a conscious state, and had been taken directly to a hospital for precautionary tests.
The tests revealed no injuries to his head, neck, or cervical spine, but his mandible received the most serious impact from the collision.
Chelsea have yet to confirm the extent of his injury or the length of a potential layoff, as they will await definitive results from their tests.
Chelsea could be forced to throw young Penders into deep end
Within minutes of it becoming apparent that Martinez was in no shape to continue playing, 21-year-old Mike Penders was stripped and ready for his first Premier League appearance.
The highly-rated Belgian joined the club from KRC Genk in the summer of 2024 but spent the 2024-25 season with the Belgian club before spending the 2025-26 season on loan at Strasbourg.
He was part of the squad that won the FIFA Club World Cup in 2025 and enjoyed a fine season in France afterward, appearing 52 times across all competitions.
The youngster is seen as the future at Stamford Bridge and had already played twice, both in the Carabao Cup, this season.
Penders was assured in the minutes he played against Everton, showing off confidence to come off his line and deal with crosses despite having bodies around him.
The Belgian could now be set to get a run of games under Alonso, depending on the severity of the injury to Martinez.
His quality in France earned him a place in Belgium's FIFA World Cup squad in the summer, and subsequently a place in Chelsea's squad.
He has been likened to compatriot Thibaut Courtois for his size, pathway, and physical attributes, and will hope to emulate Courtois' career in blue, as well.
