Neto double earns Chelsea a win at Everton in Premier League amid head-injury concern for Martinez

Pedro Neto scored early and late in the second half to lead Chelsea to a 2-0 win at Everton on Saturday in a Premier League match marred by a serious-looking head injury to Chelsea goalkeeper Emi Martinez.

Neto slotted home the opening goal 44 seconds after the resumption and then added the second in the 90th minute after pouncing on the loose ball following a blocked free kick.

Chelsea handed Everton a first loss of the season after seven rounds, keeping a first clean sheet in nine months in the process.

Martinez was heading to the hospital, British broadcaster TNT Sports reported, after receiving 10 minutes of treatment on the field and then being carried off on a stretcher following a head-on-head collision with Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite at a free kick.

Martinez, Argentina’s World Cup-winning goalie from 2022, was moving his arms as he was taken off the field. Branthwaite carried on playing after a concussion test.

Later, league leader Manchester City — under huge scrutiny after being found guilty of large-scale financial wrongdoing — hosts Ipswich and is seeking a seventh straight win. Among the other three games, Liverpool visits Brentford.

Steve Douglas is at https://twitter.com/sdouglas80

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