Robert Sanchez faces race against time for Liverpool clash as Chelsea trigger concussion protocols after injury against Nottingham Forest

Sanchez is to undergo in-house assessments in the coming days as Chelsea follow concussion protocols in the hope he can be available to face Liverpool at the weekend. The goalkeeper's participation in one of the biggest fixtures of the season now hangs in the balance as the club's medical team at Cobham takes charge of his recovery.

The Chelsea goalkeeper was substituted in the 66th minute of Monday’s 3-1 home defeat to Nottingham Forest after a clash of heads with the Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White, who came away with a huge gash on his face. While Sanchez initially attempted to carry on with a bandage wrapped around his head, the decision was eventually made to withdraw him, with Filip Jorgensen coming on as his replacement.

While the Premier League confirmed neither player was logged as a concussion substitution, Sanchez will still have to undergo checks at certain intervals in the coming days as Chelsea follow FA ‘return to play guidelines’ before passing him fit for Saturday’s league game against Liverpool at Anfield. These protocols are designed to prioritise player safety, ensuring that no athlete returns to high-intensity contact before being fully cleared of neurological symptoms.

According to The Standard, Chelsea must await the results of those concussion protocol assessments with club medical staff at Cobham before learning whether he can face Liverpool. The guidelines are stringent; players who fail any of the test stages must observe a rest period of at least 12 days. Given the quick turnaround between the Forest defeat and the trip to Merseyside, any setback in these scheduled tests would almost certainly rule Sanchez out of the clash.

The fallout from the collision isn't limited to the Stamford Bridge treatment room. Morgan Gibbs-White suffered a significant cut to his head which required several stitches. Forest will also have to test him in the same way before determining whether he can play against Aston Villa in Thursday’s Europa League semi-final second leg at Villa Park. It was an afternoon of heavy casualties for both sides as they battled for vital points in the Premier League.

Earlier in the game on Monday, a clash of heads between Chelsea full debutant Jesse Derry and Forest defender Zach Abbott left the former unconscious and needing to be stretchered off. He was taken to hospital before regaining consciousness and undergoing precautionary tests at hospital. Abbott was the only player in the match whose exit was officially marked down as a concussion protocol substitution, highlighting the physical intensity of the encounter.

Sanchez's potential absence would affect Chelsea’s chances, as their ambitions for a top-five finish have officially reached an end with three matches remaining.

Sitting four points behind Bournemouth in sixth, the Blues face a daunting trip to Anfield this Saturday to take on Liverpool. This pivotal fixture precedes their final two matches of the campaign against Tottenham and Sunderland, which will determine their final standing in the table. The Blues can still qualify for the Champions League but must finish sixth and hope Aston Villa win the Europa League and finish in the top five.