Derry says debut a 'dream come true' despite injury
Derry says debut a 'dream come true' despite injury Image source, Getty Images Image caption, The 18-year-old made his first start for Chelsea against Nottingham Forest on Monday By Ffion Wynne Sport Journalist...
South Korea vs Czechia — KG Var/Yok (Dünya Kupası 🏆)
Breaking news from the world of sport: Derry says debut a 'dream come true' despite injury Image source, Getty Images Image caption, The 18-year-old made his first start for Chelsea against Nottingham Forest on Monday By Ffion Wynne Sport Journalist Published 14 minutes ago Chelsea forward Jesse Derry says his debut was a "dream come true" despite being taken to hospital after suffering a head injury. The 18-year-old was making his first start for Chelsea against Nottingham Forest on Monday, and clashed heads with opponent Zach Abbott in the 45th minute. He received oxygen on the pitch before being taken off the field on a stretcher after a lengthy stoppage.
The club then confirmed that he was "conscious, talking and undergoing precautionary checks" in hospital. "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.
Match Details
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, was making his first start for Chelsea having made two appearances off the bench in the FA Cup. He was replaced by Liam Delap as a concussion substitute.
Premier League teams are permitted to make one concussion replacement per match, which does not count towards their usual substitution limits. Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White and Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez were also involved in a nasty collision in the second half, but Forest confirmed that their midfielder was not substituted for concussion. Related topics Chelsea Premier League Football More on this story What are the Premier League concussion rules?
Published 2 November 2025 Latest Chelsea news, analysis and fan views Ask about Chelsea - what do you want to know?
The story has climbed to the top of the sports agenda, with fans and analysts following closely.
