Vitor Pereira believes Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White has avoided concussion after Chelsea clash | OneFootball

Vitor Pereira believes Morgan Gibbs-White has avoided concussion after a head injury in Nottingham Forest’s 3-1 win at Chelsea, and is hopeful he can face Aston Villa in Thursday’s Europa League semi-final second leg. According to NY Times, his manager’s early assessment was positive.

Introduced at half-time, Gibbs-White set up Taiwo Awoniyi for Forest’s third, then collided with Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez and went off around 20 minutes later. Awoniyi struck twice and Igor Jesus added the other as Forest moved six points clear of 18th-placed West Ham United with a far superior goal difference.

Pereira said Gibbs-White was talking normally and remembered everything, but had a deep cut above his nose. He stressed he is not a doctor and hopes the medical staff can manage the pain and ready him. He told the midfielder he need not head the ball.

Had he entered the concussion protocol, involvement in the second leg would be in doubt. The FA’s guidelines say the earliest return is seven days after the incident if exceptional criteria are met.

With one eye on Thursday, Pereira made eight changes and Forest lead 1-0 on aggregate. Among those on the bench were Chris Wood, Elliot Anderson, Neco Williams, Omari Hutchinson and Nikola Milenkovic.

The head coach believes defender Zach Abbott should be fit after a first-half head knock.

Source: NY Times