Pereira said that Gibbs-White’s substitution was not related to concussion, so he is not subject to strict protocols surrounding such head injuries.
That means that his availability for Thursday is only dependent on whether the cut on his face heals in time.
Had Gibbs-White been judged to be concussed, he would probably have been ruled out. Players must not return to activity for at least 24 hours before undergoing a 48-hour period of rest and a six-stage “return to play” process.
Premier League teams are permitted to make one concussion replacement per match, which do not count towards their usual substitution limits. Chelsea used that dispensation during Monday’s match for youngster Jesse Derry.
The 18-year-old, who was making his debut, clashed heads with Forest’s Zach Abbott and was taken to hospital. Chelsea said he was “conscious, talking and undergoing precautionary checks”.
